Field Hockey Board Goes To 16 Teams For 2018 World Cup, Could Reach 24 For 2022

The Int'l Hockey Federation (FIH) Exec Board met on Thursday and decided to increase the number of participating nations at the 2018 World Cup to 16 men's and 16 women's squads. The board decided that increasing the number to 16 from 12 would be suit the growth of field hockey. The board will consider increasing the format to 24 teams for each men's and women's for the 2022 edition of the World Cup. The 2014 World Cup, to beheld in The Hague, Netherlands, will still host a 12-team field for both both the men and women (FIH). In Kuala Lumpur, Aftar Singh noted that FIH President Leandro Negre said that the federation has "not decided on the hosts yet." Negre: "We will double the number of teams because we want to promote hockey throughout the world. By having more teams in the World Cup, it will defnititely make the sport more popular" (THE STAR, 11/1).