FIH releases match schedule for Men's WorldHockey Olympic Qualifier in New Zealand

The International Hockey Federation (FIH) released the match schedule for the first of the WorldHockey Olympic Qualifiers. The men's tournament in North Shore City, Auckland, New Zealand (2-10 February 2008) is the first of a total number of six WorldHockey Olympic Qualifiers.

In New Zealand, six men's teams will compete for one spot for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. Besides host New Zealand, Argentina, France, Ireland, Trinidad &Tobago and USA will participate. The WorldHockey Olympic Qualifier will be opened with the match between France and Ireland on Saturday 2 February 2008. The tournament is a six teams' single round robin event which will be concluded with a final between the best two teams from the preliminary round on Sunday 10 February 2008. The winner of this final will earn a place in the hockey tournament of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

The match schedules for the other five WorldHockey Olympic Qualifiers will be released in due time.

Calendar WorldHockey Olympic Qualifiers for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games:

• 2-10 February 2008: WorldHockey Olympic Qualifier, men (ARG, FRA, IRL, NZL, TRT, USA), North Shore City, Auckland (NZL)
• 1-9 March 2008: WorldHockey Olympic Qualifier, men (AUT, BAN, CHI, GBR, IND, MEX), Santiago (CHI)
• 5-13 April 2008: WorldHockey Olympic Qualifier, men (GER, JPN, MAS, POL, SUI, +1 TBC) Kakamigahara, Gifu (JPN)
• 12-20 April 2008: WorldHockey Olympic Qualifier, women (AZE, BLR, CHI, ESP, KEN, UKR) Baku (AZE).
• 19-27 April 2008: WorldHockey Olympic Qualifier, women (AHO, BEL, FRA, IND, RUS, USA), Kazan (RUS)
• 26 April-4 May: WorldHockey Olympic Qualifier, women (CAN, IRL, ITA, KOR, MAS, URU), Victoria B.C. (Canada)

The match schedule for the WorldHockey Olympic Qualifier men in North Shore City, Auckland (NZL):