The hockey is always one of the most highly anticipated events at the Olympic Games and it will be no different in Tokyo.
Australia have a great chance of taking home gold in the men's hockey with the Kookaburras coming into Japan as the number one ranked team in the world.
As for the Hockeyroos, they're also well placed going into the Games as the fourth best team in the world.
With plenty of debutants across both squads, it's a great mix of youth and experience which is hoping to bring hockey gold back to Australia.
Here's everything you need to know about hockey at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
TOKYO 2020 OLYMPICS HOCKEY NEWS
The hockey kicks off on the first day of the Games with Australia's men opening the tournament with a clash against hosts Japan.
TOKYO 2020 HOCKEY GROUPS
There will be 12 teams in both the men's and women's hockey competition at Tokyo 2020.
The 12 teams for each gender will be split into two separate groups, Pool A and Pool B.
Each team will play every team in their group once. The top four in each group after that stage will then proceed to the quarterfinals.
The pools for each tournament are below.
MEN'S
Pool A
- Argentina
- Australia
- Spain
- India
- Japan
- New Zealand
Pool B
- Belgium
- Canada
- Great Britain
- Germany
- Netherlands
- South Africa
WOMEN'S
Pool A
- Great Britain
- Germany
- India
- Ireland
- Netherlands
- South Africa
Pool B
- Argentina
- Australia
- China
- Spain
- Japan
- New Zealand
TOKYO 2020 HOCKEY SCHEDULE
MEN'S MATCHES (all times in AEST)
Saturday, July 24
- Pool A
- 10.30 am - Japan v Australia
- 11 am - New Zealand v India
- 1.15 pm - Argentina v Spain
- Pool B
- 12.45 pm - Netherlands v Belgium
- 7.30 pm - Great Britain v South Africa
- 8 pm - Canada v Germany
Sunday, July 25
- Pool A
- 7.30 pm - India v Australia
- 8 pm - Japan v Argentina
- 9.45 pm - Spain v New Zealand
- Pool B
- 10.15 pm - South Africa v Netherlands
Monday, July 26
- Pool B
- 10.30 am - Germany v Belgium
- 12.45 pm - Great Britain v Canada
Tuesday, July 27
- Pool A
- 10,30 am - Argentina v Australia
- 11 am - India v Spain
- 12.45 pm - Japan v New Zealand
- Pool B
- 1.15 pm - Germany v Great Britain
- 7.30 pm - Belgium v South Africa
- 9.45 pm - Netherlands v Canada
Wednesday, July 28
- Pool A
- 9.45 pm - Japan v Spain
- 10.15 pm - Australia v New Zealand
Thursday, July 29
- Pool A
- 10.30 am - India v Argentina
- Pool B
- 11 am - Belgium v Canada
- 12.45 pm - South Africa v Germany
- 1.15 pm - Netherlands v Great Britain
Friday, July 30
- Pool A
- 11 am - Australia v Spain
- 7.30 pm - Japan v India
- 8 pm - Argentina v New Zealand
- Pool B
- 1.15 pm - Canada v South Africa
- 9.45 pm - Germany v Netherlands
- 10.15 pm - Belgium v Great Britain
Sunday, August 1
- Men's Quarterfinals from 10.30am
Tuesday, August 3
- 11.30 am - Men's Semifinal #1
- 8 pm - Men's Semifinal #2
Thursday, August 5
- 11.30 am - Men's Bronze Medal match
- 8 pm - Men's Gold Medal match
WOMEN'S MATCHES (all times in AEST)
Saturday, July 24
- Pool A
- 9.45 pm - Netherlands v India
- 10.15 pm - Ireland v South Africa
Sunday, July 25
- Pool A
- 10.30 am - Great Britain v Germany
- Pool B
- 11 am - Australia v Spain
- 12.45 pm - Japan v China
- 1.15 pm - New Zealand v Argentina
Monday, July 26
- Pool A
- 11 am - Netherlands v Ireland
- 7.30 pm - South Africa v Great Britain
- 10.15 pm - Germany v India
- Pool B
- 1.15 pm - Australia v China
- 8 pm - Argentina v Spain
- 9.45 pm - Japan v New Zealand
Wednesday, July 28
- Pool A
- 10.30 am - Netherlands v South Africa
- 11 am - Great Britain v India
- 1.15 pm - Germany v Ireland
- Pool B
- 12.45 pm - New Zealand v Spain
- 7.30 pm - Japan v Australia
- 8 pm - Argentina v China
Thursday, July 29
- Pool A
- 8 pm - Great Britain v Netherlands
- Pool B
- 7.30 pm - Spain v China
- 9.45 pm - Japan v Argentina
- 10.15pm - New Zealand v Australia
Friday, July 30
- Pool A
- 10.30 am - South Africa v Germany
- 12.45 pm - Ireland v India
Saturday, July 31
- Pool A
- 1.15 pm - India v South Africa
- 7.30 pm - Germany v Netherlands
- 9.45 pm - Ireland v Great Britain
- Pool B
- 10.30 am - China v New Zealand
- 11 am - Japan v Spain
- 12.45 pm - Argentina v Australia
Monday, August 2
QUARTERFINALS
Wednesday, August 4
SEMI FINALS
Friday, August 6
11.30 am - Women's Bronze Medal match
8 pm - Women's Gold Medal match
HOW TO WATCH HOCKEY AT THE TOKYO 2020 OLYMPICS
Hockey, like the rest of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, will be available to watch in Australia through the Seven Network.
A lot of the focus will be on the Kookaburras and Hockeyroos whose matches will likely be carried on free to air on either 7 or 7mate.
All the hockey, and the rest of the events at Tokyo 2020, will be available to watch on the Seven Network's digital platform, 7plus.
KOOKABURRAS TOKYO 2020 SQUAD
Australia's men's hockey squad will feature eleven Olympic debutants at the Tokyo Olympic Games.
Eddie Ockenden will be by far the most experienced member of the squad with Tokyo set to be his fourth Olympic Games after Beijing, London and Rio.
Six members of the team will be playing at their second Games after Rio.
| Name | Age | State |
|---|---|---|
| Tom Wickham | 31 | SA |
| Joshua Beltz | 26 | TAS |
| Daniel Beale | 28 | QLD |
| Tim Howard | 22 | QLD |
| Andrew Charter | 34 | ACT |
| Tom Craig | 25 | NSW |
| Matthew Dawson | 27 | NSW |
| Blake Govers | 25 | NSW |
| Jeremy Hayward | 28 | NT |
| Tim Brand | 25 | NSW |
| Dylan Martin | 23 | NSW |
| Trent Mitton | 30 | WA |
| Eddie Ockenden | 34 | TAS |
| Flynn Ogilvie | 27 | NSW |
| Lachlan Sharp | 24 | NSW |
| Joshua Simmonds | 25 | VIC |
| Jake Whetton | 30 | QLD |
| Aran Zalewski | 30 | WA |
HOCKEYROOS TOKYO 2020 SQUAD
Australia's women's hockey squad for the Tokyo 2020 Games features ten debutants.
Emily Chalker is the most experienced member of the group, Tokyo will be her third Olympic Games after London and Rio.
| Name | Age | State |
| Edwina Bone | 33 | NSW |
| Emily Chalker | 29 | NSW |
| Jane Claxton | 28 | SA |
| Savannah Fitzpatrick | 26 | NSW |
| Stephanie Kershaw | 26 | QLD |
| Amy Lawton | 19 | VIC |
| Rachael Lynch | 35 | VIC |
| Rosie Malone | 23 | QLD |
| Kaitlin Nobbs | 23 | NSW |
| Brooke Peris | 28 | NT |
| Karri Somerville | 22 | WA |
| Georgia Wilson | 25 | WA |
| Grace Stweart | 24 | NSW |
| Renee Taylor | 24 | QLD |
| Mariah Williams | 26 | NSW |
| Madison Fitzpatrick | 24 | NSW |
| Greta Hayes | 24 | NSW |
| Kate Jenner | 31 | NSW |
WORLD HOCKEY RANKINGS
Based on the rankings, Australia is well-placed to perform strongly in both the men's and women's hockey at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
The Kookaburras in particular will go into the tournament as red-hot favourites as the number one ranked team in the world.
They have pipped Belgium, Netherlands and India coming into the competition.
As for the women, they're currently ranked number four in the world. They were recently overtaken by Germany to fall out of the top three positions. Netherlands are the number one ranked team in women's hockey.
Men's World Rankings (as of June 30, 2021)
| Rank | Team |
|---|---|
| 1 | Australia |
| 2 | Belgium |
| 3 | Netherlands |
| 4 | India |
| 5 | Germany |
| 6 | England |
| 7 | Argentina |
| 8 | New Zealand |
| 9 | Spain |
| 10 | Canada |
Women's World Rankings (as of June 30, 2021)
| Rank | Team |
|---|---|
| 1 | Netherlands |
| 2 | Argentina |
| 3 | Germany |
| 4 | Australia |
| 5 | England |
| 6 | New Zealand |
| 7 | Spain |
| 8 | Belgium |
| 9 | Ireland |
| 10 | India |
