The Men's FIH Pro League is an international men's field hockey competition organised by the International Hockey Federation (FIH), which replaces the Men's FIH Hockey World League. The competition also serves as a qualifier for the Hockey World Cup and the first edition also did for the Olympic Games.[1]
Current season, competition or edition: 2023–24 Men's FIH Pro League | |
Formerly | Hockey World League |
---|---|
Sport | Field hockey |
Founded | 2017 |
First season | 2019 |
No. of teams | 9 |
Continent | International (FIH) |
Most recent champion(s) | Netherlands (2nd title) (2022–23) |
Most titles | Netherlands (2 titles) |
Relegation to | FIH Hockey Nations Cup |
Official website | fihproleague.com |
The first edition started in 2019. Nine teams secured their places for four years.
Nine men's and women's teams compete in a round-robin tournament with home and away matches, played from October to June, with the top team at the end of the season winning the league. From 2022–23 onwards, the bottom team at the end of the season will be relegated and will be replaced by the winner of a new competition called the Men's FIH Nations Cup.[2]
In July 2017, Hockey India decided to withdraw both the men's and women's national teams from the competition as they estimated the chances of qualifying for the Summer Olympics to be higher when participating in the Men's FIH Hockey World League. Hockey India also cited lack of clarity in the ranking system.[3][4] The International Hockey Federation subsequently invited Spain instead.[5] Pakistan were suspended in 2019 after they could not play their first three games.[6] India joined the Pro League from 2020 onwards.[7] In September 2021, both New Zealand and Australia withdrew from the 2021–22 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the travel restrictions coming with it.[8][9]
Ed. | Year | Final host | Final | Third place match | Teams GS / FR | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Champions | Score | Runners-up | Third place | Score | Fourth place | |||||||
1 |
2019 | Amstelveen, Netherlands | Australia |
3–2 | Belgium |
Netherlands |
5–3 | Great Britain |
8 / 4 | |||
2 |
2020–21 | (Various) | Belgium |
RR | Australia |
Germany |
RR | India |
9 | |||
3 [a] |
2021–22 | (Various) | Netherlands |
RR | Belgium |
India |
RR | Germany |
9 | |||
4 |
2022–23 | (Various) | Netherlands |
RR | Great Britain |
Belgium |
RR | India |
9 | |||
5 |
2023–24 | (Various) | 9 |
Team | Winners | Runners-up | Third place | Fourth place |
---|---|---|---|---|
Netherlands | 2 (2021–22, 2022–23) | 1 (2019) | ||
Belgium | 1 (2020–21) | 2 (2019, 2021–22) | 1 (2022–23) | |
Australia | 1 (2019) | 1 (2020–21) | ||
Great Britain | 1 (2022–23) | 1 (2019) | ||
India | 1 (2021–22) | 2 (2020–21, 2022–23) | ||
Germany | 1 (2020–21) | 1 (2021–22) |
Team | 2019 | 2020–21 | 2021–22 | 2022–23 | 2023–24 | 2024–25 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Argentina | 5th | 7th | 5th | 8th | Q | 5 | |
Australia | 1st | 2nd | WD | 7th | Q | 4 | |
Belgium | 2nd | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Q | 5 | |
Canada | – | – | WD | – | – | 0 | |
England | Part of GB | 6th | Part of GB | 1 | |||
France | – | – | 8th | – | – | 1 | |
Germany | 6th | 3rd | 4th | 6th | Q | 5 | |
Great Britain | 4th | 6th | – | 2nd | Q | – | 4 |
India | – | 4th | 3rd | 4th | Q | 4 | |
Ireland | – | – | – | – | Q | 1 | |
Netherlands | 3rd | 5th | 1st | 1st | Q | Q | 6 |
New Zealand | 8th | 8th | WD | 9th | – | 3 | |
Pakistan | DSQ | – | – | – | – | 0 | |
South Africa | – | – | 9th | – | WD | 1 | |
Spain | 7th | 9th | 7th | 5th | Q | 5 | |
Total | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 |