Lausanne, March 17 The Indian men's team has been drawn alongside their arch-rivals Pakistan, as well as strong contenders England and Wales, in the group stage of the FIH Hockey World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the Netherlands and Belgium later this year.
During the draw ceremony held here on Tuesday at the iconic Wagener Stadium in Amsterdam, the Indian women's team was placed alongside China, England, and South Africa in the prestigious tournament, scheduled to be held from August 15 to 30.
Both the Indian men's and women's teams, placed in Pool D in their respective categories, will play their matches in the Netherlands, according to the International Hockey Federation (FIH), which added that the full match schedule will be announced on Wednesday.
Germany, the reigning men's champions who clinched their third World Cup title in 2023 in Bhubaneswar by defeating Belgium, have been placed in Pool B alongside Belgium, France, and Malaysia.
"The draw was conducted by hockey legends Naomie van As, Barbara Neelen, and Teun de Nooijer, as well as DJ La Fuente, who was announced as the Dutch Ambassador for the World Cup during the ceremony," said the FIH in a release.
FIH president Tayyab Ikram said he hoped the tournament would help foster peace "at times when our world is torn apart by conflict".
"Today's draw marks another major milestone on the road to the most prestigious FIH event, the FIH Hockey World Cup. The upcoming edition, for both women and men, co-hosted by two hockey powerhouses, promises to be a resounding success," said Ikram.
"We are very grateful to both Belgium and the Netherlands for hosting our top athletes and the global hockey community in less than six months' time. In today's fractured world, sport – and events such as this in particular – can play a substantial role in bringing people together. It can foster peace at times when our world is torn apart by conflict," he said.
The Pools:
Men:
Pool A: Netherlands, Argentina, New Zealand, Japan (playing in the Netherlands)
Pool B: Belgium, Germany, France, Malaysia (playing in Belgium)
Pool C: Australia, Spain, Ireland, South Africa (playing in Belgium)
Pool D: England, India, Pakistan, Wales (playing in the Netherlands)
Women:
Pool A: Netherlands, Australia, Chile, Japan (playing in the Netherlands)
Pool B: Argentina, Germany, USA, Scotland (playing in Belgium)
Pool C: Belgium, Spain, New Zealand, Ireland (playing in Belgium)
Pool D: China, England, India, South Africa (playing in the Netherlands).