The Hockey schedule for the Paris Olympics 2024 has been announced and the Indian men's team has been slated in Pool B of medal winners. The IOC President Thomas Bach and the president of the International Hockey Federation Tayyab Ikram have revealed the fixtures for the highly anticipated discipline at the Games.
The Indian men's team has been drawn in Pool B alongside Belgium, Australia, Argentina, New Zealand and Ireland, while Pool A features Netherlands, Germany, Great Britain, Spain, France and South Africa together.
The competition kicks off on July 27 with the Indian team too on the opening day of the discipline. They will first lock horns against New Zealand on July 27, followed by their second contest against 2016 Gold medalists Argentina. Harmanpreet Singh's team will then feature on the next day too with a game against Ireland, which will then follow their two hardest Pool games - against Tokyo Gold medalists Belgium on August 1 and the other against runners-up Australia on August 2.
Notably, all three medal winners from the previous men's discipline of Tokyo 2021 have been drawn in the same group. Belgium won the Gold, while Aussies settled for the Silver. India clinched the Bronze, which was their first Olympic medal in hockey in 41 years. Though India's group features medal winners, it is not as threatening for the Indian team as it looks. While Belgium and Australia are tough opponents, Argentina's power has reduced from the time it won the Gold in 2016.
The top four from the two pools will head into the quarterfinals, which begin on August 4, followed by the semifinals on August 6 and the medal matches on August 8.
The women's schedule was also announced, however, the Indian women's team is not eligible to participate as they failed to qualify for the Olympics.
In the women's arena, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Japan, People's Republic of China and France are put in Pool A, while the Pool B consists of Australia, Argentina, Great Britain, Spain, United States and South Africa.
The women's matches start on July 27 too, while the playoffs and the medal matches will be held a day later than the men's games - quarterfinals on August 5, semis on August 7 and the medal matches on August 9.
India men's hockey schedule:
July 27 vs New Zealand at 9:00 pm IST
July 29 vs Argentina at 4:15 pm IST
July 30 vs Ireland at 4:45 pm IST
August 1 vs Belgium at 1:30 pm IST
August 2 vs Australia at 4:45 pm IST
Pool A: Netherlands, Germany, Great Britain, Spain, France (Hosts), South Africa
Pool B: India, New Zealand, Argentina, Ireland, Belgium, Australia
