How to qualify for hockey at Paris 2024. The Olympics qualification system explained

Hockey made its debut at the Olympics during the London Games in 1908. Other than the 1912 and 1924 Games, the men’s competition has been a mainstay of the Olympic programme ever since, while the women’s competition was added to the programme at Moscow 1980 where Zimbabwe ran out winners.

Tokyo 2020 saw a spirited men’s Belgium side climb onto the top step of the podium for the first time in their history, while in the women’s tournament the Netherlands took a third victory in four Olympics with a 3-1 win over Argentina.

For Paris 2024, there will once again be one competition for men and one for women, with all the action taking place at the Stade Yves-du-Manoir. Find out everything you need to know about the pathway to qualification below.

READ MORE: The quest for Paris 2024 Olympic qualification begins

How many athletes will compete in hockey at Paris 2024?

Both the men’s and women’s tournament will feature 12 teams vying for gold at Paris 2024, with a total of 384 athletes (192 women and 192 men) taking part.

As hosts, France will receive one quota for their men’s team and one for their women’s, with 16 athletes per team - after they each achieved a ranking of 25 or better in the FIH World Rankings after the end of the Tokyo 2020 Games.

All others NOCs will be able to qualify a single team for each of the men’s and women’s competitions, with 16 athletes per team.

What is the hockey qualification pathway for Paris 2024?

For the 24 teams (384 athletes) hoping to qualify for Paris 2024, the following competitions will provide them with a pathway to the Games.

The winners of each of the five continental championships (for each gender) will earn one quota place each for their NOC:

1. African Hockey Road to Paris 2023
2. Pan American Games 2023
3. Asian Games 2023
4. EuroHockey Championship 2023
5. Oceania Cup 2023

If France win the EuroHockey Championships 2023, their quota place will be allocated to the following Olympic Qualification Tournaments below:

Four FIH Olympic Qualification Tournaments (two per gender) consisting of eight teams each (16 teams total) will be held in 2024. The top three teams in each of these tournaments will earn a single quota place for their NOC (six in total). This number will rise to seven if France win the EuroHockey Championship 2023, with the last quota place offered to the highest ranked of the two teams that finished fourth in the Olympic Qualification Tournaments.

Invites to the qualification tournaments will be based on continental quotas, determined by the number of nations from each continent who are World Ranked in the top 22 Olympic eligible nations on 31 January 2023

From these 22 quotas, the continents of the six nations already qualified will be removed, leaving 16 continental quotas filled by the highest finishing nations in each continental championship who have not already qualified for Paris 2024.

What is the Paris 2024 hockey competition format and schedule?

The Paris 2024 hockey competition will take place between 27 July and 9 August 2024, with the final of the men’s tournament taking place on 8 August and the women’s a day later on 9 August.

Both the men’s and women’s competitions will begin with group stages, followed by quarter-finals, semi-finals and finals.

All of the action will take place at the Stade Yves-du-Manoir, a legacy stadium from the last Olympic Games in Paris in 1924.

Hockey teams to watch at Paris 2024

While Belgium produced a stunning victory in the final of Tokyo 2020, it is silver medallists Australia who currently sit in the no. 1 spot on the World Rankings. Although the team have only won one Olympic title in 2004, their recent victory at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham show they are among the teams to beat heading towards Paris.

In the final in Birmingham, Australia ran out 7-0 winners against India, with both Nathan Ephraums and Jacob Anderson scoring twice in the final to maintain their nation's record of having won every Commonwealth Games gold in the men’s tournament.

Tokyo 2020 winners Belgium delivered a thrilling victory in the last Olympic final, with Florent van Aubel scoring their only goal in a 1-1 draw. The shootout that ensued saw goalkeeper Vincent Vanasch become the hero of the match after he saved three penalties. Belgium currently sit second on the World Rankings.

Also keep an eye on India, the most successful men’s team in Olympic history. While the eight-time winners haven’t won gold since 1980, they did take home an impressive bronze from Tokyo.

The women’s World Rankings are dominated by Olympic champions the Netherlands, who have four Olympic victories to their name including the latest at Tokyo 2020. The team have also won the World Cup on nine occasions, including a 2022 victory over Argentina in the latest edition of the tournament.

Eva de Goede is one of the biggest stars in the game, having won the FIH Player of the Year award in 2018 and 2020. However, at 33 years old she is yet to confirm whether she will once again aim for gold at Paris 2024.

Second on the World Rankings are Argentina, who won silver at Tokyo 2020. With players such as Agustina Albertarrio within their ranks, they will be hoping to continue their strong form at Paris 2024 where they will look to win a first women’s gold medal in their history.

Hockey qualification timeline for Paris 2024

30 March 2022: IOC Executive Board approves draft Qualification System

1 February 2023: Continental quotas, including reserves, for the FIH Olympic Qualification Tournaments confirmed

Expected April 2023: Oceania Cup: TBC

Expected July/August 2023: African Road to Paris: TBC

August 2023: EuroHockey Nations Championship: Monchengladbach, Germany

23 September - 8 October 2023: 19th Asian Games: Hangzhou, People's Republic of China

10 October - 5 November 2023: 19th Pan American Games: Santiago, Chile

6 November 2023: Teams, dates and venues for FIH Olympic Qualification Tournaments confirmed

January/February 2024: FIH Olympic Qualification tournaments

Within five days after the FIH Olympic Qualification Tournaments: FIH to confirm in writing to the NOCs the quota places obtained

Two weeks after the FIH Olympic Qualification Tournaments: The NOCs to confirm to FIH the use of the allocated quota places

Within five days after each previous step: FIH to reallocate all unused quota places

8 July 2024: Paris 2024 Sport Entries deadline

26 July - 11 August 2024: Olympic Games Paris 2024

Find out more about the qualification system for other sports that will feature at Paris 2024.