Explained: How to qualify for 2028 LA Olympics in hockey?

The Olympic Qualification System (OQS) for hockey at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games has been officially confirmed by the International Hockey Federation (FIH), detailing how teams can qualify for the quadrennial event.

A total of 24 teams – 12 in men’s and 12 in women’s – will compete in Los Angeles. Each team can have a total of 16 players, taking the total number of field hockey athletes at the Games to 384.

How teams can qualify for Hockey at the LA28 Olympics

There are four qualification pathways, each in both men’s and women’s events in hockey for the 2028 LA Olympics.

The first is the host quota, with the United States of America assured direct entry to the Games provided that they have fulfilled the criteria of being placed in the top 25 in the FIH Rankings since the conclusion of the 2024 Paris Olympics.

The second route is the FIH Pro League. The winners of season 7 and season 8 of the FIH Pro League will earn a quota place for the Olympic Games. If the winners of season 7 defend their title the next season, the second-placed team from season 8 will have the quota.

If the teams winning quota via the FIH Pro League decline to compete, the quota will be awarded to the next best team in Season 8 provided that they are ranked inside the top 20 of the world. If not, the quota will be assigned at the FIH Olympic Qualifying Tournament.

The third route to qualify for the 2028 LA Olympics in hockey is the continental championships. The highest placed teams in each of the five continental championships – African Hockey Road to Los Angeles 2028, 20th Pan American Games 20th, Asian Games, Euro Hockey Championship 2027, and Oceania Cup 2027 will book their spot.

If the teams winning quota via the continental championships decline to compete, the quota will be awarded to the next best team in the tournament, provided they are ranked in top-20 of the world. If not, the quota will be assigned at the FIH Olympic Qualifying Tournament.

If the teams which have earned their quota via the Pro League win the continental championships, the second-placed team will earn the quota.

However, if the hosts win the Pan American Games, the quota won’t be awarded to the second-placed teams but rather be allocated via the FIH Olympic Qualification Tournaments.

This brings us to the final qualification method – FIH Olympic Qualification Tournaments. The World Body will host two qualification tournaments, each for men and women, with eight teams apiece in every tournament in early 2028.

If the host nation is the highest placed nation in the FIH Pro League or in the 20th Pan American Games in 2027 in the men’s competition, then a fifth quota place will be available in the FIH Olympic Qualification Tournaments. This will be offered to the highest world-ranked of the two teams who finish third in the two FIH Olympic Qualification Tournaments, at midnight on the final day of the second tournament to finish.

Besides, if the host country does not wish to use its allocated quota places, it will be reallocated to the highest-ranked team in the FIH Olympic Qualifiers that is not yet qualified.

Within 14 days after the completion of the last Olympic Qualification Tournament, the FIH will communicate in writing the confirmation of qualification to the NOC and National Association of each qualified team. The NOCs will then have a further 14 days to confirm if they wish to use these quota places.