2023 Hockey World Cup: India to play Spain in tournament opener

Hockey World Cup 2023 : The Indian Hockey team will take on Spain in their opening match of the 2023 Hockey World Cup on January 13. The match will take place at the newly built Birsa Munda Stadium in Rourkela.

India will be hosting the quadrennial event for the fourth time in tournament history.

The schedule was released by the International Hockey Federation on Tuesday after the draw was announced on September 8. Team India is placed in Group D alongside England, Spain, and Wales. India will play against England in their second group game followed by Wales in the last group D encounter.

After winning the Tokyo 2022 Olympic Bronze, the Indians are expected to go through to the knockouts with ease. All of India's group stage opponents are ranked lower than them but will surely look to give the number 5 ranked Indian team a tough fight at the World Cup.

Coach Graham Reid's Men in Blue will be hoping to reach the final on January 29 in Bhubaneswar next year.

Here is the full draw for the 2023 Hockey World Cup:

Pool A: Australia, Argentina, France, South Africa

Pool B: Belgium, Germany, Korea, Japan

Pool C: Netherlands, New Zealand, Malaysia, Chile

Pool D: India, England, Spain, Wales