Lahore to host eight-nation Olympic qualifiers in January

ISLAMABAD: Lahore will host the eight-team Olympic hockey qualifying round to be held from January 13 to 21, 2024.

The International Hockey Federation (FIH) Monday has confirmed that China, Pakistan and Spain will host the FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers taking place from 13 to 21 January 2024 as follows:

· Men: Lahore, Pakistan (one tournament) and Valencia, Spain (one tournament)

Each tournament will consist of eight teams (16 teams per gender in total), with following continental quotas in place:

Women’s FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers

Africa: 0, Asia: 4, Europe: 8, Oceania: 1 and Pan America: 3

Men’s FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers: Africa: 1, Asia: 5, Europe: 7, Oceania: 1, Pan America: 2

If Pakistan go on to win the Asian Games, the Greenshirts will automatically qualify for the Olympics. Otherwise, Pakistan will have to qualify for Olympics by finishing among the top three teams in the Lahore event.

The top three teams in each of these FIH Hockey Olympic Qualification Tournaments will qualify for Paris 2024. They will join hosts France as well as the winners of each Continental Championship (African Hockey Road to Paris, Pan American Games, Asian Games, EuroHockey Championship and Oceania Cup).

As has been the case since Beijing 2008, 12 teams per gender will play at the Paris 2024 Olympic hockey tournaments, with each squad consisting of 16 athletes.

Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) placed the bid to host the qualifying round event in 2019-20.