In June 2013, the Kookaburras and the Hockeyroos will compete at the newest event on the international calendar, the FIH Hockey World League. The ultimate goal... to qualify for the 2014 World Cups in The Hague.
What is the FIH Hockey World League?
The FIH World League is a new competition that started in 2012 and is played over two years. Beginning with the FIH World Cup 2014, the World League will be used to decide which teams will qualify alongside the Continental Champions and Hosts (subject to IOC approval for the Olympic Games) for future Olympic Games and FIH World Cups.
The Hockey World League has four rounds, running from August 2012 to February 2014. Each round acts as a qualifier for the next giving every team the potential to go all the way to the final.
As one of the world’s highest profile and most successful nations, Australia’s men’s and women’s teams enter the World League at round three, the semi-final stage, in June 2013.
The top three from each of the semi-final competitions will qualify for the 2014 World Cup in The Hague.
Where is it?
Each competition (men’s and women’s) has two semi-final events as detailed below. Eight teams compete in each event.
The Kookaburras will compete at the first men's semi-final in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, from 13-23 June 2013.
The Hockeyroos will compete at the second women's semi-final in London, England, from 22-30 June 2013.
Men
13-23 June: Rabobank FIH Hockey World League semi-final 1(Rotterdam, Netherland)
Australia, Belgium, India, Ireland, Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain plus one more team tbc.
29 June – 7 July: FIH Hockey World League semi-final 2 (Johor Bahru, Malaysia)
Argentina, England, Germany, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, South Africa plus one more team tbc.
Women
13-23 June: Rabobank FIH Hockey World League semi-final 1(Rotterdam, Netherlands)
Belgium, Chile, Germany, India, Japan, Korea, Netherlands, New Zealand
22-30 June: Investec FIH Hockey World League semi-final 2 (London, England)
Argentina, Australia, China, England, Italy, South Africa, Spain USA.