The upcoming Men’s FIH Hockey World Cup 2023 is less than 2 weeks away. It will be held at the Kalinga stadium in Bhubaneshwar and the Birsa Munda international hockey stadium in Rourkela, India. It will kick off on the 13th of January and wrap up on the 29th of the same month. A total of 16 teams are going to participate this year divided into four groups. Four groups will consist of four teams each.
This will the 15th edition of the
tournament which has a very rich history. So today we are going to divulge some
of the lesser-known facts about the Men’s World Cup.
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The tournament changed its format
The FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup
started off as a biennial tournament. After its inception in 1971, the successive
World Cup happened in 1973. In 1978 the tournament happened after a gap of
three years for the first time. However, in 1982 the tournament went to be
contested in the format we know today.
However, after many years that
continuity got broken because of the better bid from Hockey India to host the
event in January 2023, instead of in 2022. As a result, the FIH had no other
alternative but to reschedule the event from 2022 to 2023.
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More inclusion of teams over the years
The FIH has set no requirements
or limitations on the size of the competition. The 1971 Cup included only 10
nations. It was the smallest World Cup. The 1978 Cup featured 14 nations. 2002,
and 2018 Cups featured 16 nations. The remaining 10 World Cups have featured 12
nations.
There were talks about raising
the number of teams to 24 in the 2023 edition of the World Cup. However, that
change will not be happening.
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Pakistan’s Nur Khan conceived the idea of the
World Cup
Pakistan’s Air Marshall Nur Khan
made his proposition of the World Cup to the FIH via the editor of the World
Hockey Magazine, Patrick Rowley. Their idea was approved on 26 October 1969 and
adopted by the FIH Council at a meeting in Brussels on 12 April 1970. The FIH
decided that the inaugural World Cup would be held in October 1971, in
Pakistan.
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The Hockey World Cup trophy was designed by
Bashir Moojid
Bashir Moojid created the Hockey
World Cup trophy. Moojid was an Air Marshall in the Pakistani Army. The trophy
was formally handed to FIH President Rene Frank by Mr H.E Masood, the Pakistani
Ambassador to Belgium on 27th March 1971. The trophy comprises a silver cup
with an intricate floral design, surmounted by a globe of the world in silver
and gold.
It is placed on a high blade base
and inlaid with ivory. At its peak is a
model hockey stick and ball.
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New Tie Breaker Rules for 2023 World Cup
It should be noted that for each
win in the pool stage, the team will be rewarded 2 points. However, in case the
match ends in a draw- both sides will be given 1 point each. However, if two or
more teams remain unseparated on more than one parameter in the table then the
tie-breaker rule will come into the picture.
Supposing the teams end on equal
points, in this case the team with more number of wins will be given the higher
rank in the group. But if there emerges a scenario when both the points as well
as the number of matches won for two teams are equal, in that case, the goal
difference will differentiate the teams implying the difference between the
number of goals scored and conceded will be the tie-breaker.
The team, in this, which has a
better goal difference will be the higher placed side in the group. In a rare
scenario if even than the teams remain tied then the team which has scored more
goals will get the preference. Assuming the two teams are still tied then the
result of the head-to-head clash between them will determine which team will
get the higher rank.
Overall Winners
The Continent of Europe has the
greatest number of World Cup medals in their tally. They have a total of six
titles to their name. Out of which the Netherlands won three, Germany won two
and Belgium. The Red Lions were in fact the latest addition after winning the
world cup in the last edition in 2018.
Europe is followed by Asia which has won five titles. Out of these four titles belong to Pakistan and one to India. Oceania is next with its three titles. Ironically all those titles belong to Australia. America and Africa are yet to open their account.
Pakistan holds the record for having the greatest number of World Cup wins in their resume. They won the inaugural edition in 1971 beating Spain 1-0 in their opponent’s backyard in Barcelona.
The Green Machines won consecutively after that in 1978 and 1982 beating the Netherlands and West Germany respectively. Their last victory came in 1994. Pakistan beat the Dutch yet again in this encounter to capture their fourth World Cup.
Malaysian Men’s Hockey Team participation and final standings as below:
Out of 15th edition, Malaysian team played 9 times and didn't qualify for 6 times. Previously it was 12 teams World Cup (except for 2002 KL WC) and 16 teams was introduced for 2018 World Cup onwards.
Spain 1971 Did
not qualify
Netherlands 1973 Eleventh place
Malaysia 1975 Fourth
place
Argentina 1978 Tenth
place
India 1982 Tenth
place
England 1986 Did
not qualify
Pakistan 1990 Did
not qualify
Australia 1994 Did
not qualify
Netherlands 1998 Eleventh place
Malaysia 2002 Eighth
place
Germany 2006 Did
not qualify
India 2010 Did
not qualify
Netherlands 2014 Twelfth place
India 2018 Fifteenth
place
India 2023 Qualified
– FIH Odisha World Cup in January 2023.
Wishing everyone a very Happy New
Year 2023. And always stay blessed.
Thanking you.
Maninderjit Singh (Mike)
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