The hosts India will take on Spain in its  opening game of the 2023  FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup at Rourkela on January 13.  The schedule of the matches to be played at Bhubaneswar and Rourkela  was released by the International Hockey Federation (FIH) on Tuesday, September 27. The 2016 Olympic Gold medallists Argentina and Africa’s highest-ranked nation South Africa will play the opening match of the mega event at iconic Kalinga Stadium on January 13. The last edition of the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup in 2018 was also held at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneshwar. India will play its second match against England on January 15 at Rourkela. The hosts will play their third and final pool game against Wales at Bhubaneswar on January 19.

In all 44 matches will be played during the Odisha World Cup.

All teams will play at both Bhubaneswar and Rourkela.

The final will be played on January 29 at Bhubaneshwar.

The second match of the  first day in Bhubaneswar will see world’s number one Australia taking on France, in a repeat of the 2018 World Cup quarter-final.

Later on the same day, a “derby” between England and Wales will set the event rolling at Rourkela. It will be  followed by the hosts India playing in front of its home fans against Spain.

All teams will play in both venues.

January 18 and January 21 will be the rest days.

On January 19, all four games –  Malaysia vs New Zealand, the Netherlands vs  Chile, Spain vs England and India vs Wales will be played at Bhubaneswar.

On January 20, Rourkela will be the venue for  all the four final pool games – Australia vs South Africa, France vs Argentina, Belgium vs Japan and Korea vs Germany.

The draw  held on 8 September in Bhubaneswar determined the four Pools as follows:

                Pool A: Australia, Argentina, France, South Africa

                Pool B: Belgium, Germany, Korea, Japan

                Pool C: Netherlands, New Zealand, Malaysia, Chile

                Pool D: India, England, Spain, Wales

Chile and Wales have qualified for the Men’s World Cup for the very first time.

Belgium are the current World Champions, having defeated the Netherlands in the Final of the 2018 edition.