THE 2017 semi-finals for the men’s and women’s Hockey World League will take place in Johannesburg.
Altogether 20 of the world’s best men’s and women’s national teams will take part in these Hockey World Cup 2018 qualifiers between July 8 and 23 at Wits Hockey Club.
In the men’s event, Pool A contains reigning Hockey Champions Trophy, Hockey World League and Hockey World Cup champions Australia, New Zealand, Spain, Japan and France. Pool B sees Rio 2016 silver medallists Belgium take on Rio bronze medallists Germany, reigning African champions South Africa, as well as Ireland and Egypt.
In the women’s competition, the team from England, which will contain many of the Rio 2016 Olympic gold medallists who represented Great Britain, will play Rio bronze medallists Germany, Japan, Ireland and Poland in Pool A. Reigning Hockey Champions Trophy and Hockey World League champions Argentina will be up against reigning Pan-American champions USA, African champions South Africa, as well as India and Chile in Pool B.
With 16 days of non-stop world-class hockey, there’s a number of hugely exciting matches for fans to take in.
On July 14 there will be a number of highly charged encounters in the women’s competition, with Pan-American rivals USA and Argentina going head to head at 4pm local time before European rivals Germany and England play at 6pm.
The following day, the men’s competition also serves up some fascinating rivalries. European opponents France and Spain get the day started off at noon before the Oceania showdown between New Zealand and Australia takes place at 2pm. The all-African game between rivals Egypt and South Africa will then give local fans a thrilling start to the evening (4pm) before Rio 2016 medallists Belgium and Germany provide an exciting finale to the day at 6pm.
Ticket information will be announced on FIH.ch on June 4.
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