MUSCAT: International Hockey Federation (FIH) has announced the Sultanate of Oman as the new host for the Men’s FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifier on Thursday.
The tournament will be held in Muscat from January 15 to 21, 2024 at the new hockey stadium in Al Amerat.
Oman will also host the Men’s and Women’s Hockey5s World Cup 2024 from January 24 to 31 at the same venue.
Oman Hockey Association (OHA) Chairman Dr Marwan bin Juma al Juma said it will be a perfect final preparation for the venue before the Hockey5s World Cup.
“We will be fully equipped to host the Olympic Qualifier as the venue will be all decked up for the World Cup. It will be a final dress rehearsal for the global showdown,” Al Juma said.
Eight teams will be in fray for Paris Games qualification in Muscat.
“Eight teams will contest the Olympic Qualifier in Muscat for three qualification positions,” Oman Hockey Association’s Shakir Munir, who is attending the 19th Asian Games Hangzhou 2022 in China as the Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) technical delegate, told Oman Observer.
In run up to the World Cup, the Men’s and Women’s Hockey5s Asian Cup tournaments were successfully concluded recently in southern Oman city of Salalah.
The state-of-the-art hockey complex in Al Amerat will include a main 11-a-side pitch, a five-a-side pitch, and an 11-a-side pitch divided into two for practice purposes.
EARLY INTEREST
Oman was considered as the hosts for the Olympic qualifier tournament after FIH’s decision to withdraw the hosting of the event from Pakistan due to the recent developments in the governance situation of the Pakistan Hockey Federation. Oman had expressed an interest to host the tournament at an early stage, during the bidding phase.
The other three FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers will be played in China (Women’s – January 15-21, 2024) and Spain (Women’s and Men’s – January 13-21).
Six women’s and six men’s teams will qualify for Paris 2024 through these FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers, for which the participating teams from Oceania and Europe are already known.
Australia and the Netherlands (women’s and men’s) have already secured their spot at the Paris 2024 hockey Olympic tournaments by winning the 2023 Oceania Cup and EuroHockey Championships respectively, therefore joining hosts France.
The Asian Games — being played currently in Hangzhou, China — as well as the upcoming Pan American Games and African Hockey Road to Paris tournament — will determine the remaining teams qualifying directly for next year’s Olympics (3 women’s and 3 men’s teams) as well as the teams playing the FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers. The Paris 2024 hockey Olympic tournaments will take place from July 27 to August 9 next year.
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