Argentina and Great Britain – women and men – will launch season 5 of the FIH Hockey Pro League on December 6, 2023 in Santiago del Estero, Argentina.
Promoted from the inaugural FIH Hockey Nations Cup, India (women) and Ireland (men) will play their first match vs China and the Netherlands respectively, in Bhubaneswar, India. This was revealed on Thursday with the publication of the full match schedule for the season – including all venues, dates and timings – by the International Hockey Federation (FIH). As already announced in April, season 5 of the FIH Hockey Pro League –’Hockey at its Best’ – will include six “mini-tournaments”:
-Santiago del Estero, Argentina (6-11 December 2023)
-Buenos Aires, Argentina (14-19 February 2024)
-Bhubaneswar and Rourkela, India (3-25 February 2024)
-Antwerp, Belgium (22 May-2 June 2024)
-Lee Valley, Great Britain (1-12 June 2024)
-Utrecht and Amsterdam, Netherlands (22-30 June 2024)
With the promotion/relegation principle applied – for the first time – to the FIH Hockey Pro League, Season 5 will welcome two teams that have qualified through the first edition of the FIH Hockey Nations Cup played last year, namely India (women) and Ireland (men). India is joining in place of New Zealand (women), who withdrew from the upcoming season, while Ireland are replacing New Zealand (men), who were relegated at the end of the previous season.
Furthermore, being crowned champions of the FIH Hockey Pro League Season 5 will come along with a new and tremendous incentive in the form of a direct qualification for the Women’s and Men’s FIH Hockey World Cup 2026. (ANI).
