Hockey Oman recently convened a press conference to reveal the intricacies of the Hockey Oman - Open Tournament 2024, which is scheduled to take place at the Oman Olympic Committee and Sports Associations building. The event was graced by the presence of Dr. Marwan bin Jumaa Al Jumaa, the esteemed Chairman of Hockey Oman, Faisal bin Habib Al Balushi, the Technical Director of the Championship, representatives from the participating teams, and a delegation of journalists and local media personnel. During the course of the press conference, the tournament draw was meticulously conducted, and the commencement date for the competitions was announced. The tournament is set to unfold from September 8 to 11, featuring an impressive lineup of eight teams, including military sectors, agencies, and companies such as the Royal Army of Oman, the Royal Guard of Oman, the Royal Navy of Oman, Al Fayhaa, Security and Safety, Jindal Shadeed Company, Badr Al Samaa Group, and FAP LLC.
Dr. Marwan bin Jumaa Al Jumaa, in his remarks during the press conference, articulated the objectives of the Hockey Oman - Open Tournament 2024, stating, "The inauguration of the Hockey Oman - Open Tournament 2024 is a pivotal moment in our endeavor to broaden the horizons of Hockey 5s within the Sultanate of Oman. This championship has attracted participation from a diverse array of military and private sector entities. The tournament is a continuation of the initiatives and activities that Hockey Oman has committed to promoting Hockey 5s. The previous year, the association successfully hosted the Oman International Women’s Hockey 5s Championship, which featured teams from India, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates. The Hockey 5s format has gained considerable popularity among hockey players at both the club and national team levels. Our national Hockey 5s team achieved a commendable third place in the World Cup for Hockey 5s, which was hosted by Oman in January 2024 at the Hockey Oman Stadium in Al Amerat. Furthermore, our national team secured the second position in the world rankings by the International Hockey Federation. The organizing committee for the Hockey Oman - Open Tournament 2024 has meticulously established conditions and rules that are in harmony with international standards, while also being customized to accommodate the unique nature and capabilities of the participating teams."
The press conference concluded with a sense of anticipation for the forthcoming tournament, which is expected to be a showcase of exceptional competition and fervor, featuring teams that include national team players.
Faisal bin Habib Al Balushi, the Technical Director of the tournament, provided detailed insights into the tournament's structure. In the initial stages, the participating teams will be allocated to two distinct groups via a random selection process. Each team will then engage in a round-robin competition against their counterparts within their respective groups. Moving forward, the teams will progress to the final stages, where the fourth-ranked team from the first group will compete against the fourth-ranked team from the second group to secure the positions of seventh and eighth. Concurrently, the third-ranked teams from both groups will vie for the fifth and sixth positions. The semi-finals will feature the first-ranked team from Group A competing against the second-ranked team from Group B, and vice versa. The teams that do not advance to the semi-finals will compete for the third and fourth positions, while the victorious teams will proceed to the final match to be crowned the champions. The entirety of the matches will be hosted at the Hockey Oman Stadium in Al Amerat.
