News for 12 January 2023
All the news for Thursday 12 January 2023
FIH Odisha Hockey Men's World Cup 2023 Bhubaneswar - Rourkela
Bhubaneswar - Rourkela, India
All times GMT +5:30
Bhubaneswar,
13 Jan 2023 13:00 ARG v RSA (Pool A)
13 Jan 2023 15:00 AUS v FRA (Pool A)
Rourkela
13 Jan 2023 17:00 ENG v WAL (Pool D)
13 Jan 2023 19:00 IND v ESP (Pool D)
Pool Standings
FIH Match Centre
Grand trophy celebrations get FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 underway in Odisha
The Barabati Stadium in Cuttack, Odisha, packed to the rafters with 45,000 fans, bore witness to the spectacular trophy celebrations that marked the start of the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 Bhubaneswar-Rourkela! 
Odisha sticks to delivering
After sparkling ceremony in Cuttack, focus shifts to the largest hockey stadium
Indervir Grewal
Fireworks set off during the opening ceremony in Cuttack on Wednesday.
The Birsa Munda Stadium doesn’t have the feel of a hockey stadium. Instead, it gives off a football arena vibe. Built for the men’s World Cup and tagged as the biggest hockey stadium in the world, the spherical structure is as breathtaking to look at from outside as it is daunting to even imagine the noise of over 20 thousand fans on the opening matchday.
Hockey World Cup 2023 starts with glittering opening ceremony in Cuttack
Hockey World Cup 2023 opening ceremony was preceded and succeeded by colourful cultural programmes that kept mesmerising the packed audience.
Hockey World Cup 2023 opening ceremony took place at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack, Image: Twitter/@achyuta_samanta
Men’s Hockey World Cup, 2023 got underway on Wednesday evening with a spectacular opening ceremony at the picturesque Barabati Stadium in Cuttack that was witnessed by thousands of hockey lovers in attendance from across the country and abroad.
Hockey World Cup 2023, opening ceremony pictures: Disha Patani, Ranveer Singh perform live in Cuttack
Bollywood actress Disha Patani performs during the Hockey World Cup opening ceremony.
Stars Ranveer Singh and Disha Patani performed in the opening ceremony of the Hockey World Cup 2023 on Wednesday at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack, Odisha.
India readies itself for Men’s Hockey World Cup after trophy tour’s colour and hype
By Rod Gilmour
The Hockey World Cup trophy has been on country-wide promotional tour
Rourkela — Has there ever been a World Cup build-up like it? The men’s trophy has glistened India wide and, in recent weeks, across Odisha state on an extensive promotional tour, as the host nation readies itself on Friday for a second showpiece on home soil in a little over four years.
FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 Bhubaneswar-Rourkela: Pool D preview
The 16 best men’s teams from around the world are converging in Odisha, India as we countdown to the final free days till the start of the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023! Each team comes with the aim of becoming world champions, but only one team can earn the highest honour at the end of the World Cup. The first obstacle for all 16 teams in the event come in the form of their pool opponents. Winning the pool gives the teams a huge advantage, as it leads to straight qualification into the quarterfinals, while second and third placed teams play an additional cross-over round. In today’s preview, meet the teams in Pool D, and find out the unique playing styles they will bring to the World Cup.
FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023: what the captains and coaches have to say! 
Bhubaneswar, India - With just 1 day to go for the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 Bhubaneswar-Rourkela, the players and coaches of all teams have spoken to express their expectations.
Speedy Tigers edged by Spain in pre-World Cup friendly
By Aftar Singh
National coach Arul Selvaraj (holding book) speaking to the players after their friendly match against Spain in Rourkela tonight. - Pic courtesy of MHC
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia lost 3-2 to Spain in a pre-tournament friendly match played at the Birsa Munda International Stadium in Rourkela tonight.
Kookaburras ready for France in World Cup opener tomorrow night
The disappointment of falling heartbreakingly short at the last World Cup and Olympic Games is driving the Kookaburras as they open their 2023 World Cup campaign against France tomorrow night (Friday 13 January) at 8.30pm AEDT in Bhubaneswar, India.
India seek first podium finish in 48 years
To play tricky Spain on Friday
A historic bronze medal in the Tokyo Olympics bringing them back among the international elite, India will seek their first podium finish in 48 years in the FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup as they begin their campaign against Spain in a tricky match here on Friday.
Harmanpreet Singh-Captained Indians Would Hope to Live Up to Soaring Expectations of Playing World Cup at Home
Three back-to-back medals in the World Cup (bronze in 1971, silver in 1973, and gold in 1975), followed by a humongous 48-year podium finish absence – this particular statistic is something hosts and Olympic bronze medallists India would look to correct when they launch their World Cup campaign in Rourkela against Spain.
India working on deflecting pressure off Harmanpreet, says coach Reid
Harmanpreet Singh is currently regarded as one of the world's finest penalty-corner exponents but India coach Graham Reid wants his other dragflickers to share the responsibility with their skipper.
Indian hockey captain Harmanpreet Singh. Image: Hockey India
New Delhi: India captain Harmanpreet Singh is one of the star attractions of the men’s hockey World Cup starting Friday because of his sheer calibre of penalty-corner conversions, but the team’s chief coach Graham Reid has worked upon plans to divert the attention from his key player.
Marhan hopes to be third time lucky at Hockey World Cup
By Aftar Singh 
Defender Marhan Jalil will be featuring in his third Hockey World Cup in India (Jan 13-29) and the team captain hopes he will bring good luck to the Speedy Tigers. - NSTP file pic
KUALA LUMPUR: Defender Marhan Jalil will be featuring in his third Hockey World Cup in India (Jan 13-29) and the team captain hopes he will bring good luck to the Speedy Tigers.
Five Maybank players included in Hockey World Cup squad
Maybank players included in World Cup squad, in the front row Razie Rahim (left) and Shahmie Irfan Suhaimi. In the back row Ashran Hamsani (left), Meor Azuan Hassan and Najmi Farizal.
KUALA LUMPUR: Five Maybank players are set to feature for Malaysia at the Hockey World Cup in India on Jan 13-29.
Europe will dominate Hockey World Cup, says Maninderjit
By Aftar Singh
KUALA LUMPUR: Two-time Olympian Maninderjit Singh believes the Hockey World Cup in India (Jan 13-29) will again be won by a European team.
Germany captain to wear rainbow armband in India
Germany will be one of favourites at World Cup for medals PIC: Hockey India
Germany men will follow the women’s national side by wearing the rainbow armband at the Hockey World Cup to highlight inclusivity in the sport.
How Wales' part-time men's side gatecrashed elite
It is an underdog story even the FA Cup would struggle to match.
By Tom Brown
Wales - a part-time team of students, teachers and a financial analyst - taking on the world's top professional hockey players.
What are nicknames of all 16 teams
FILE PHOTO: The Australian men’s hockey team is also known by the nickname - Kookaburras.
Leading up to the 2023 FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup, scheduled to be held in Bhubaneswar and Rourkela from January 13 to 29, here is the list of the nicknames of all 16 participating teams.
The rise of Belgium Hockey from fighting for funds to winning World Cup, Olympics
The Bridge decodes how the 2023 Hockey World Cup favourites Belgium emerged as a powerhouse in the sport and how they sustain it. 
Belgium Hockey Team after winning 2020 Tokyo Olympics (Source: AP)
Today the Belgium hockey team is considered the best men's team in the world. The 2018 World Cup and the gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics are a testament of their dominance in world hockey.
Destiny Rules
Ashley Morrison
Hot on the heels of a year in which there seemed to be a World Cup every month, 2023 will open the new year with the FIH Men's Hockey World Cup, being hosted by India.
Down hockey memory lane: Former stalwarts look back at India’s key World Cup moments
Five former players flip through the history of India’s roller-coaster ride in the five-decade-old hockey World Cup.
Y. B. Sarangi
The Indian hockey team for the second hockey World Cup in Amstelveen, the Netherlands. India lost in the final to the Netherlands. | Photo Credit: The Hindu Archives
On a hockey field, the goal scorers define make-or-break moments. Flipping through the history of India’s roller-coaster ride in the five-decade-old hockey World Cup, we pick five scorers who have left their mark by capturing key moments in the showpiece event. These iconic players fondly look back at the moments they scripted with the magic of their hockey sticks.
When Graham Reid Scored in 3-2 Win Over India at the 1990 Lahore World Cup!
Graham Reid has driven Indian men’s hockey to new heights that culminated in the national side winning the Olympic bronze medal at Tokyo in 2021 after a hiatus of 41 years. The man in the hot seat would be expected to guide India to a podium finish in the 15th World Cup at Bhubaneshwar and Rourkela.
Top 10 Greatest Field Hockey Players Of All Time
Fergus-Kavanagh
It is widely believed that field hockey was derived from the Irish game of Hurling and its Scottish version Shinty which were very popular and recorded as early as 1272 B.C. The Mongolian people of China used to play a more sophisticated version of this game called Beikou for around 1,000 years. European invaders of Chile also recorded a similar version of this game called Chueca or The Twisted One, which was mainly played by the Araucano Indians around the 16th century. Since then, this sport achieved its place among the most-played sports in the world. And, here goes the top 10 greatest field hockey players of all time.
FIH Hockey Indoor World Cup trophy launched in Cape Town
SA Hockey president Deon Morgan and Namibian DM of Sport Emma Katema-Gaomas parade the FIH Hockey Indoor World Cup © PSI Hockey
The FIH Hockey Indoor World Cup, presented by SPAR, is just 25 days away. With the tournament nearing its historic arrival on African Soil the World Cup Trophies have arrived in the country.
Men's Junior AHF Cup - 12 January
Muscat (OMA)
All times GMT +4
11 Jan 2023 11:45 SRI v INA (5-8th Place) 3 - 3 (5 - 4 SO)
11 Jan 2023 14:00 TPE v HKG (5-8th Place) 6 - 3
11 Jan 2023 16:15 BAN v THA (Semi-Final 1) 3 - 0
11 Jan 2023 18:30 OMA v UZB (Semi-Final 2) 5 - 0
12 Jan 2023 11:45 INA v HKG (7/8th Place) 3 - 1
2 Jan 2023 14:00 SRI v TPE (5/6th Place)
12 Jan 2023 16:15 THA v UZB (3/4th Place)
2 Jan 2023 18:30 BAN v OMA (Final)
FIH Match Centre
GB Men's Elite Development Programme Squad Announced For 2023
Great Britain Hockey is excited to announce a squad of 36 players and five reserves has been selected for the GB Men's Elite Development Programme (EDP) in 2023.
Strong Scottish contingent as GB Men’s Elite Development Programme squad announced for 2023
Six Scots have been named as Great Britain Hockey announced a squad of 36 players and five reserves for the GB Men’s Elite Development Programme (EDP) in 2023.
Field Hockey Canada announces Junior Men’s National Team Roster
18 Men selected for the Junior Pan American Championships in Barbados
Field Hockey Canada is thrilled to announce the 18-athlete Junior Men’s National Team that will attend the Junior Pan American Championships in Barbados, from April 10 – 18, 2023.
USA Field Hockey Increases Investment in Sport Development
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The arrival of 2023 means that the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games are just five years away. USA Field Hockey is using LA28 as a call to action and has begun preparation for the Games on and off the field. The organization is greatly appreciative of the support from both the USA Field Hockey Foundation and U.S. Men’s Field Hockey Foundation and many donors, clubs, schools and volunteers who help create field hockey opportunities across the country. USA Field Hockey’s mission is to Grow the Game, Serve and Inspire Membership and Succeed Internationally, and this cannot be achieved without the help and support of field hockey leaders and enthusiasts.