India qualify for 2014 Hockey World Cup as Australia win Oceania Cup

The Indian hockey team has qualified for next year’s World Cup in the Netherlands by virtue of Australia winning their regional competition

The Indian men’s hockey team has officially qualified for the Rabobank Hockey World Cup scheduled to be held at The Hague, Netherlands, next year by virtue of Australia’s win in their domestic continental championship, according to a press release from the International Hockey Federation (FIH).

Australia’s men’s and women’s team won the Oceania Cup continental tournament in New Zealand on Sunday. Direct qualification to next year’s World Cup was the bonus prize on offer for the teams, but since both of Australia’s teams had already qualified by virtue of their performances in the Hockey World League semi-finals, the opportunity arose for the teams outside the top three to make it through.

India’s men’s and women’s teams had finished sixth at the Rabobank HWL Semi-Final in Rotterdam and that has proven to be enough, as they were both handed a ticket to next year’s premier competition.

This now takes the total number of qualified teams to 22 – 11 each in the men’s and women’s category.

Teams qualified for the Hockey World Cup:

Hosts: Netherlands

Continental Champions

Europe – Germany;

Pan America – Argentina;

Asia -Korea;

Oceania – Australia;

Hockey World League Semi-Final placings

England: 3rd place – Hockey World League Semi-Final, Johor Bahru (MAS);

Belgium: 1st place – Rabobank Hockey World League Semi-Final, Rotterdam (NED);

New Zealand: 4th place – Rabobank Hockey World League Semi-Final, Rotterdam (NED);

Spain: 5th place – Hockey World League Semi-Final, Rotterdam (NED);

Malaysia: 5th place – Hockey World League Semi-Final, Johor Bahru (MAS);

India: 6th place – Hockey World League Semi-Final, Rotterdam (NED).