Muscat: His Highness Sayyid Theyazin bin Haitham Al Said, Minister of Culture, Sports and Youth, presided over the official inauguration of the FIH Hockey5s World Cup, scheduled to take place in Muscat from 24 to 31 January.
The opening ceremony took place at the Sustainable City Sales Centre in the Wilayat of Muttrah, in the presence of several distinguished guests, including International Hockey Federation President Tayyab Ikram and representatives from the participating teams.
During his speech at the opening ceremony, Ikram stated, "The hosting of the Hockey5s World Cup follows the successful Paris 2024 Olympic Qualifiers, which were held from January 15 to 21. The opportunity to host both events is a remarkable and historic achievement for Oman. Eight top teams competed for the three spots available for the Paris Olympics, and the winners were determined here."
Ikram expressed his confidence in Muscat's ability to successfully host the FIH Hockey5s World Cup.
Dr. Marwan bin Juma Al Juma, President of the Oman Hockey Association (OHA) and the tournament director, also addressed the audience, saying, "We extend a warm welcome to everyone attending the opening of the FIH Hockey5s World Cup. It is a momentous occasion for Oman to host the inaugural edition of this tournament. The game of hockey has a rich history in our country, spanning over a century."
The matches of the Hockey5s World Cup will take place at the newly-constructed Hockey Oman Complex in Al Amerat. This state-of-the-art stadium recently hosted the Paris 2024 Olympic Qualifiers and is now fully prepared to host the Hockey5s World Cup matches starting from Wednesday.
Oman, the host country, will be participating in both the men's and women's events of the FIH World Cup, marking their debut in the tournament. The ceremony commenced with a march past of the participating teams, followed by the trophy presentation. Additionally, the tournament flag was raised, setting the stage for a captivating audio-visual presentation that showcased the rich history and current state of Oman's hockey. The women's competition will kick off on Wednesday, featuring a total of 16 games on the opening day. The Women's World Cup winner will be determined on January 27, while the men's action will commence the following day and conclude on January 31, when the first-ever men's champion of the FIH Hockey5s World Cup will be crowned.
