HOCKEY: Familiar rivalries will be renewed on the biggest stage after the FIH confirmed the pools for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

Australia's women (world ranking #3), who slipped one place to third in the world rankings last week following the World League Final, will compete in Pool B against Argentina (#2), Great Britain (6), USA (7), Japan (10) and India (13).

Australia's men, who remain world number one, will compete in pool A against traditional foes New Zealand (8) and Great Britain (4), as well as Belgium (5), Spain (11) and the hosts, Brazil (32).

On Monday, the International Hockey Federation (FIH) confirmed that Spain women and New Zealand men have officially accepted invitations to participate in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games hockey events following the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee's decision not to enter its hockey teams for Rio.
That confirmed the 12 team line-ups for both the men’s and women’s hockey events for next year’s Olympics.

In women’s Pool A, defending Olympic and reigning world champions Netherlands, ranked number 1 in the FIH World Rankings, will face 2015 Hockey World League runners up New Zealand (ranked 4 in the World Rankings); China (5); Germany (8); Korea (9) and Spain (14).

In the other pool in the men’s event, Pool B sees world number two ranked Netherlands play defending Olympic champions Germany (3); Argentina (6); India (7); Ireland (12) and Canada (14).

The top four from each pull will progress to the all-or-nothing quarter finals. Rio 2016 will be the first Olympic Games to feature the new quarter final format.

The Olympic fixtures schedule will be announced in February.

Hockey Australia