England at the 2023 FIH Hockey World Cup: Preview, squad, schedule and stars to watch

England head to the 2023 Hockey World Cup in India with high hopes of improving upon the fourth-place finish they achieved in the 2018 edition.

Last year was a bright one for the English team who ran out bronze medal winners at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. They will be aiming for more silverware in the World Cup - a competition they have never won before.

The closest England did come to victory was in 1986 when they lost 2-1 to Australia in the final of the competition. Since then they have finished fourth in the last three tournaments in 2010, 2014 and 2018 with a place in the final eluding them on each occasion.

If England are to progress this year, they will need to overcome some formidable opponents in their group, including hosts and five-time Olympic champions India who will be hoping to add to their sole World Cup victory in 1975.

There is also the small matter of home rivalry with Wales who they face first in Pool D, with Spain the other team in their group who are vying for a place in the knockout rounds.

When and where will England play at the FIH Hockey World Cup?

England begin their campaign on 13 January when they face off against Wales. If they do reach the gold medal match, the final is scheduled to take place on 29 January.

England’s matches against Wales and India both take place in the Birsa Munda International Hockey Stadium in Rourkela, while the final Pool D match against Spain will take place in the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar.

The quarter-finals, semi-finals and final all take place in the Kalinga Stadium, which can expect a raucous capacity crowd of 16,000.

England squad for the 2023 FIH Hockey World Cup

England stars to watch at the 2023 FIH Hockey World Cup

Back from a horrific in-game injury that left him temporarily blind in one eye, Sam Ward is readying himself for his first performance at a Hockey World Cup. The 32-year-old has represented Great Britain at the last two Olympic Games but will be aiming for higher rewards with Team England after setting them on the way to a podium finish by scoring in the bronze medal match of the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

A prolific goalscorer with talent to burn, Ward has amassed a record of 62 goals in just 84 appearances for England and will once again be a focal point for their attacks when they begin their campaign against Wales on 13 January.

Joining Ward in the squad in India is another star of the Commonwealth Games bronze medal match, with Phil Roper the scorer of two goals in the game in Birmingham. Roper now has 26 goals in over a century of caps for his country and will be aiming for more during this World Cup campaign.

One player in the England squad has more goals than caps, with 30-year-old Nick Bandurak netting an impressive 21 in just 20 games. He has been rewarded for his excellent form with club side Holcombe HC with a place in the international squad for this upcoming World Cup.

England will also rely on the vast experience of cap centurions including midfielder David Condon (136 caps, 23 goals) and Harry Martin (133 caps, 12 goals) as they aim to better their results from the 2018 World Cup when they finished fourth and just off the podium.

England schedule at the 2023 FIH Hockey World Cup

Pool D

13 January

17:00pm (12:30pm CET)

England vs Wales

15 January

19:00pm (14:30pm CET)

England vs India

19 January

17:00pm (12:30pm CET)

Spain vs England

Knockout rounds

• Crossovers take place on 22 January
• Quarter-finals take place on 24 and 25 January
• Semi-finals take place on 27 January
• The final and third place match take place on 29 January