The FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers Ranchi 2024 is set to commence on Saturday in Ranchi, Jharkhand, at the Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Astro Turf.
The tournament features eight teams, with Germany, Japan, Chile, and the Czech Republic in Pool A, while hosts India are placed in Pool B alongside New Zealand, the United States, and Italy. The stakes are high, with only the top three teams securing qualification for the Paris Olympics.
India will begin their campaign with a match against the United States on Saturday, a team the Indian side successfully defeated in the 2019 Olympic Qualifiers.
Led by captain Savita Punia, the Indian women's hockey team is optimistic as they vie for their third consecutive Olympic berth. Entering the tournament as the second-highest-ranked team, India draw confidence from recent successes including a win against China China in the Semi-Finals of the 19th Asian Games Hangzhou.
"We are ready for the tournament. The entire team understands that this is the first step towards the Paris Olympics dream. We have worked on ourselves as an individual and as a team. Our focus will be on our own strength, and not worry too much about what the opponents will bring to the table," asserted skipper Punia.
Their next match is against New Zealand on January 14 followed by a clash against Italy after a day's rest.
When is India vs USA in the FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers?
The match will start at 7:30 pm IST.
Where is India vs USA in the FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers?
The match will be held at Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Astro Turf in Ranchi.
How to watch India vs USA in the FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers?
The match will be broadcast on the Sports 18 network and will be live-streamed via Jio Cinema app and website.
| Television | Live Streaming |
| Sports 18 network | Jio Cinema |