India Women's hockey team break into top-10

ByPress Release, SportsCafe Editor

11/07/2017

The Indian women's hockey team broke into the top-10 of the rankings after winning the Asia Cup, which secured their qualification for the 2018 World Cup. The Argentina men and the Netherlands women's team retained their No. 1 position while the Belgium men's team moved up to No. 3 in the rankings.

The latest International Hockey Federation (FIH) Hero World Rankings have been revealed following the conclusion of the 2017 Continental Championships’ cycle.

Olympic champions Argentina remain the number one ranked men’s team after winning the Pan American Cup back in August. October’s Oceania Cup winners Australia retain the second position however European rising stars Belgium have moved up to third after picking up the silver medals at the 2017 Rabobank EuroHockey Championship.

Pakistan continuing to climb back up the rankings, leapfrogging Korea into 13th position whilst the biggest rise was Wales who moved up eight places into 24th position.

The top three women’s teams remain unchanged as World and European champions Netherlands retain number one spot, with England (Great Britain) in second and 2017 Pan American Cup champions Argentina in third.

USAhave dropped down to seventh, with 2017 Oceania Cup winners Australia replacing them in the fourth position. New Zealand and Germany also leapfrog USA, taking up fifth and sixth position respectively.

Following yesterday’s Asia Cup win, India have made it into the top 10, edging Spain into 11th position, whilst Chile have made considerable gains, moving up five positions from 20th to 15th after they picked up the silver medals in this year’s Pan American Cup.

Along with Chile, the Czech Republic (now 19) and Singapore (35) were amongst the biggest risers for the women, all moving up five positions.

The next series of FIH Hero World Ranking updates will take place after the Hockey World League Finals have finished later this year. They take place over the following dates:

Sentinel Homes Women’s Hockey World League Final Auckland 2017 – 17-26 November

Odisha Men’s Hockey World League Final Bhubaneswar 2017 – 1-10 December

For a complete guide to the FIH Hero World Rankings, click here.