COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - May 31, 2018 - It’s the second biggest stage for our sport. It’s held every four years. It encompasses the world’s greatest teams. But what is the International Hockey Federation (FIH) Hockey World Cup? What is its history and how did it become so prevalent in the world of field hockey?

The idea of the first-ever Hockey World Cup was conceived by Pakistan’s Air Marshal, Nur Khan, who proposed it to the FIH through Patrick Rowley. This idea was approved on October 26, 1969 and adopted by the FIH Council in April 1970. The FIH proclaimed the inaugural men’s Hockey World Cup would be held in October 1971 in Pakistan. However, political issues prevented the first competition from being played in the country as the FIH inadvertently scheduled it to be played during the Bangladesh Liberation War.

Given the intense political climate, the FIH decided to move the tournament elsewhere. In March 1971, the first men’s Hockey World Cup was moved to the Real Club de Polo grounds in Barcelona, Spain. This inaugural event was the tournament’s smallest World Cup to date with only ten teams competing. The first three men’s Hockey World Cups were held every two years, and in 1978 was reverted to every four, which is mid-cycled between the Summer Olympic Games.

Since its inception, twenty-four men’s teams have qualified for the Hockey World Cup and eleven of these made it the semifinals. To date, Pakistan has been the most successful team, with four titles in six appearances. The Netherlands has three titles in six appearance, and more recently, Australia has been on the rise winning in 2010 and 2014, and now has three titles in five appearances.

In 1974, the first Women’s Hockey World Cup was organized by the International Federation of Women’s Hockey Association (IFWHA) and took place in Mandelieu, France. This remained true until 1982 when the IFWHA merged with the FIH. Since 1986, it has been held regularly once every four years, the same years as the men’s competition.

Of the thirteen women’s tournaments held so far, only four teams have ever won the event. The Netherlands is the most successful team, having won the title seven times and is the most recent winner in 2014. Argentina, Germany and Australia are joint second-best teams, having each won the title twice.

The size of the Hockey World Cup has changed over time. Some were very small featuring ten competition teams. In 2018, the event will expand to 16 teams, and the FIH will evaluate the possibility of increasing it to 24 in 2022.

Men’s Past Winners:

2014: Australia

2010: Australia

2006: Germany

2002: Germany

1998: The Netherlands

Women’s Past Winners:

2014: The Netherlands

2010: Argentina

2006: The Netherlands

2002: Argentina

1998: Australia

So who will take home this sough-after, cherished prize? The Hockey World Cup brings everything – drama, excitement, tension, heartbreak and joy. It is the parchment on which new hockey stories will be written. For more information regarding the Vitality Hockey Women’s World Cup, continue to follow USA Field Hockey’s #Gr1tForGlory campaign by visiting the official event page by clicking here. #Gr1tForGlory