Sports: Pakistan to host Hockey (Men) Olympic Qualifier in Lahore

China, Pakistan, and Spain will host the Olympic Qualifiers from January 13 to 21 in 2024, the International Hockey Federation (FIH) announced today. While Valencia in Spain will host both men’s and women’s qualifiers, Lahore in Pakistan will be the venue for the second Olympic Qualifier tournament for men. Similarly, Changzhou in China will be the second venue for the Olympic Qualifier for women.

It is after a long time that an international hockey tournament held under the aegis of the FIH is returning to Pakistan.

Each of these Olympic Qualifier tournaments will have eight teams each.

• Women: Changzhou, China (one tournament) and Valencia, Spain (one tournament)

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

The FIH has approved the  following continental quotas for the Olympic Qualifiers:

Women

Africa: 0

Asia: 4

Europe: 8

Oceania: 1

Pan America: 3

Men

Africa: 1

Asia: 5

Europe: 7

Oceania: 1

Pan America: 2

The teams filling each quota, and therefore invited to participate, will be based on their performance at the Continental Championships taking place in 2023.

The top 3 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.