Hockey Olympic Qualifiers 2024: Teams Who Made It

One of the many games from the hockey family, field hockey is played on an open ground with a hockey ball and hockey sticks. In many countries it is simply referred to as hockey, while in others, where ice hockey is more widely spread, it is known by its full name of field hockey. The two teams that are involved in the game both consist of eleven members: ten field players and one goalkeeper. 

Initially, the game was developed to become a part of the public school curriculum in 19th century England. Later it was spread around the world and became a professional sport. Governed by the International Hockey Federation (FIH), there are a number of international championships and tournaments organized throughout the season. The most prominent ones are the Hockey World Cup and the tournament at the Olympic Games. 

Hockey was first introduced at the Olympic Games during the 1908 London Summer Olympics, with only the men’s teams participating. In the next edition of the Games, 1912 Stockholm, hockey was not in the programme. It was back in the 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp, Belgium, but skipped the 1924 Paris Games. Starting from the next edition, Summer Olympics 1928 in Amsterdam, Netherlands, hockey became a permanent part of the programme. However, it wasn’t until the 1980 Moscow Olympics that the women’s teams were introduced into the tournament. 

Currently, India’s men’s team has won 8 gold, 1 silver, and 3 bronze medals. Following them with a significant difference, Pakistan’s team has 3 gold, 3 silver, and 2 bronze medals. Great Britain’s men’s team holds the third position with a total of 3 gold, 2 silver, and 4 bronze medals. 

The Netherlands women’s teams have won 4 gold, 2 silver, and 3 bronze Olympic medals. They are followed by Australia with 3 gold but no silver or bronze medals. The German team occupies the third position with 1 medal in each category.

Hockey Olympic Qualifiers 2024 Among Men

This year the Olympic Games in Paris will see the 25th edition of the men’s hockey. The games are planned from the first official day of the Olympics, 27 July, until 8 August. The Stade Yves-du-Manoir stadium in the Parisian suburb of Colombes was scheduled as the venue for all games.

The first seven days of the schedule are dedicated to the group stage games, played on two pitches. The quarter finals will take place on Sunday, 4 August. The semifinals are scheduled for Tuesday, 6 August, while both the bronze medal match and the finals will be played on Thursday, 8 August. There are a total of 12 teams competing for the status of the 2024 Olympic Champions.

Qualifications for a berth at the Olympics were conducted in several stages. France, as the host country, was automatically qualified for one berth. Five continental championships played throughout 2023 provided one qualifying team per tournament. The remaining six teams were selected through 2024 Men’s FIH Olympic Qualifiers. 

These events were conducted between 13 and 21 January 2024 in Muscat, Oman and Valencia, Spain. Only teams who hadn’t passed the qualifications during the continental qualifiers were eligible to participate. A total of 16 teams made it into the 2024 Men’s FIH Olympic Qualifiers. 

Hockey Olympic Qualifiers 2024: Men’s Tournament 1

The first tournament took place in Muscat, the capital city of Oman, on 15-21 January 2024. The competing teams were Canada, Chile, China, Germany, Great Britain, Malaysia, New Zealand, and Pakistan. 

From preliminaries to the medal rounds, a total of 20 matches were played and 89 goals scored. Great Britain’s Sam Ward was recognized as the highest scorer with 8 goals to his credit. 

The four teams making it into the semifinals were Great Britain, Germany, Pakistan, and New Zealand. Pakistan had to stay behind after losing 0-4 to Germany in the semifinals and 2-3 to New Zealand in the match for the third place.

Hockey Olympic Qualifiers 2024: Men’s Tournament 2

The second tournament was conducted between 13 and 21 January 2024 in Valencia, Spain. The teams to fight for the right to go to the Olympics were Austria, Belgium, Egypt, Ireland, Japan, South Korea, Spain, and Ukraine.

The same overall number of matches was played in this tournament, however the scoring mark was much higher at 116 goals. Belgian Tom Boon was recognized as the highest scorer with 7 goals, one less than his British counterpart at Tournament 1. 

Belgium, South Korea, Spain, and Ireland made it into the semifinals. After losing 0-4 to Belgium in the semis and 3-4 to Ireland in the match for the third place, South Korea had to leave the competition. 

Men’s Hockey Olympic Qualifiers 2024: Olympic Participants

The final list of the men’s hockey teams participating in the 2024 Paris Summer Olympic Games are as follows:

Hockey Olympic Qualifiers 2024 Among Women

As the history of the women’s hockey at the Olympic Games started several decades later than the men’s hockey, the 2024 Olympics will see the 12th edition of their participation. The games start on 27 July and last until 9 August, with one day of break on 30 July. Women will also be playing in the Stade Yves-du-Manoir stadium.

Following the same format as the men’s hockey, women will be playing the group stage from 27 July to 3 August. The quarter finals are held on Monday, 5 August, and the semifinals will follow on Wednesday, 7 August. The match for the bronze medal and the finals are both scheduled for Friday, 9 August. Women’s hockey is represented with 12 teams at the 2024 Summer Olympics.

As the host country, France automatically received one berth. Five berths were distributed among the winners of the continental qualifiers that were held at different times in 2023. Six more teams were selected through two tournaments of the 2024 Women’s FIH Olympic Qualifiers.

While similar to the men’s qualifiers, one of the tournaments was held in Valencia, Spain, the other one took place in Ranchi, India, all in the span of 13-20 January 2024. The tournaments were open for the eligible teams who hadn’t passed the continental qualifiers. This constituted 16 women’s hockey teams. 

Hockey Olympic Qualifiers 2024: Women’s Tournament 1

Eight hockey teams who participated in the first tournament included Chile, Czech Republic, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, and the United States. The tournament was held in Ranchi, India between 13 and 19 of January 2024. 

A total of 63 goals were scored in 20 matches. Each of the following three German players: Jette Fleschütz, Charlotte Stapenhorst, and Sonja Zimmermann scored 4 goals.

The semifinals saw Germany, India, United States, and Japan competing for the right to go to the 2024 Olympics. Having lost 2(3)-2(4) to Germany in the semis and 0-1 to Japan in the match for the third place, India had to drop out of the competition.

Hockey Olympic Qualifiers 2024: Women’s Tournament 2

The second tournament was played in Valencia, Spain almost simultaneously as the first one, on 13-20 January 2024. It included Belgium, Canada, Great Britain, Ireland, Malaysia, South Korea, Spain, and Ukraine.

The scoring in this tournament was higher than in the first one, with a total of 89 goals scored in 20 matches. The highest individual score was also higher. Belgian Ambre Ballenghien scored 9 goals to her credit.

Spain, Ireland, Belgium, and Great Britain entered the semifinals. After losing 0(0)-0(3) to Spain in the semis, and 1-2 to Great Britain in the match for third place, Ireland didn’t qualify for a berth at the Olympics.

Women’s Hockey Olympic Qualifiers 2024: Olympic Participants

Here is the list of women’s hockey teams to compete in the 2024 Paris Summer Olympic after both the continental and FIH Olympic qualifiers:

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