Women's FIH Pro League

Last updated

Women's FIH Pro League
Current season, competition or edition:
Field hockey current event.svg 2024–25 Women's FIH Pro League
Fih pro league logo19.png
Formerly Hockey World League
Sport Field hockey
Founded2017;8 years ago (2017)
First season 2019
No. of teams9
ContinentInternational (FIH)
Most recent
champion(s)
Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands (4th title)
(2023–24)
Most titlesFlag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands (4 titles)
Relegation to FIH Hockey Nations Cup
Official website fihproleague.com

The Women's FIH Pro League is an international women's field hockey competition organised by the International Hockey Federation (FIH), which replaces the Women's FIH Hockey World League. The competition also serves as a qualifier for the Hockey World Cup and the first edition also did for the Olympic Games. [1]

Contents

The first edition was started in 2019. Nine teams secured their places for four years.

Format

FIH Pro League Trophy FIH Pro League Trophy.jpg
FIH Pro League Trophy

Nine teams will compete in a round-robin tournament with home and away matches, played from January to June, with the top four teams advancing to the grand final at a pre-determined location. [2] In July 2017, Hockey India decided to withdraw both the men's and women's national teams from the competition as they estimated the chances of qualifying for the Summer Olympics to be higher when participating in the Hockey Series. Hockey India also cited lack of clarity in the ranking system. [3] [4] The International Hockey Federation subsequently invited Belgium instead. [5]

On 17 September 2021, both, New Zealand and Australia, withdrew from the 2021–22 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the travel restrictions coming with it. [6] [7] They were replaced by India and Spain on 8 October 2021. [8] For the 2023–24, New Zealand withdraw and was replaced by the United States. [9]

Current teams
Former teams

2020 format changes

For the 2020 edition, the home and away principle is kept but this principle will now be split over two consecutive seasons and work according to the following example: [10]

Also this new format removes the grand final event, held in the previous edition.

2022 format changes

From 2022 onwards the bottom team at the end of the season will be relegated and will be replaced by the winner of a new competition called the Women's FIH Hockey Nations Cup. [11]

The home and away principle will be kept, however the season will be divided into date blocks. To assist with competition planning, international and national, several teams will gather in on venue to contest “mini-tournaments," wherein they each play two matches against one another.

Results

EditionSeasonFinalThird place matchTeams
GS / FR
ChampionsScoreRunners-upThird placeScoreFourth place
1
2019 Flag of the Netherlands.svg
Netherlands
2–2
(4–3 p.s.o.)
Flag of Australia (converted).svg
Australia
Flag of Germany.svg
Germany
1–1
(3–1 p.s.o.)
Flag of Argentina.svg
Argentina
9 / 4
2
2020–21 Flag of the Netherlands.svg
Netherlands
RR Flag of Argentina.svg
Argentina
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg
Great Britain
RR Flag of Germany.svg
Germany
9
3
2021–22 Flag of Argentina.svg
Argentina
RR Flag of the Netherlands.svg
Netherlands
Flag of India.svg
India
RR Flag of Belgium (civil).svg
Belgium
9
4
2022–23 Flag of the Netherlands.svg
Netherlands
RR Flag of Argentina.svg
Argentina
Flag of Australia (converted).svg
Australia
RR Flag of Belgium (civil).svg
Belgium
9
5
2023–24 Flag of the Netherlands.svg
Netherlands
RR Flag of Germany.svg
Germany
Flag of Argentina.svg
Argentina
RR Flag of Belgium (civil).svg
Belgium
9
6
2024–25 RR RR 9

Summary

TeamWinnersRunners-upThird placeFourth place
Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 4 (2019*, 2020–21 , 2022–23 , 2023–24)1 (2021–22)
Flag of Argentina.svg  Argentina 1 (2021–22)2 (2020–21, 2022–23)1 (2023-24)1 (2019)
Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 1 (2019)1 (2022–23)
Flag of Germany.svg  Germany 1 (2023-24)1 (2019)1 (2020–21)
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain 1 (2020–21)
Flag of India.svg  India 1 (2021–22)
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium 3 (2021–22, 2022–23, 2023-24)
* = Grand Final hosts

Performance by nations

Team 2019 2020–21 2021–22 2022–23 2023–24 2024–25 2025–26 Total
Flag of Argentina.svg  Argentina 4th2nd1st2nd3rdQ6
Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 2nd5thWD3rd6thQ5
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium 5th7th4th4th4thQ6
Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  China 7th8th8th7th5thQ6
Flag of England.svg  England Part of GB7thPart of GBQ2
Flag of Germany.svg  Germany 3rd4th6th5th2ndQ6
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain 8th3rd6th7th4
Flag of India.svg  India 3rd8thQ3
Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 1st1st2nd1st1stQ6
Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand 6th6thWD8thWD [a] Q4
Flag of Spain.svg  Spain 5thQ2
Flag of the United States.svg  United States 9th9th9th9thDecrease2.svg9th [a] Decrease2.svg5
Total9999999

See also

Notes

  1. 1 2 New Zealand withdrew and were replaced by United States to the 2023–24 Women's FIH Pro League.'"`UNIQ--ref-00000025-QINU`"''"`UNIQ--ref-00000026-QINU`"'

References

  1. "Hockey Pro League Q&A". fih.ch. 9 June 2017. Retrieved 9 June 2017.
  2. "'Game-changing' Hockey Pro League teams announced for 2019". fih.ch. 11 June 2017. Retrieved 11 June 2017.
  3. "Hockey India justifies withdrawal from FIH Pro League". The Times of India. 9 July 2017. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  4. "FIH statement on the withdrawal of Hockey India from the Hockey Pro League". fih.ch. 10 July 2017. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  5. "FIH confirms Spain men and Belgium women join Hockey Pro League". fih.ch. 28 July 2017. Retrieved 28 July 2017.
  6. "Hockey Australia announces absence from FIH tournaments". hockey.org.au. 17 September 2021. Retrieved 17 September 2021.
  7. "Hockey New Zealand unable to participate in FIH events in late". hockeynz.co.nz. 17 September 2021. Retrieved 17 September 2021.
  8. "India and Spain to join Women's Pro League for Season 3". fih.ch. 8 October 2021. Retrieved 8 October 2021.
  9. "USA to replace New Zealand". fih.ch. International Hockey Federation. 17 July 2023. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
  10. "Executive Board approves 2020 and 2021 FIH Pro League match schedule principles". fih.ch. International Hockey Federation. 16 April 2019. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
  11. "FIH creates Hockey5s World Cup". fih.ch. International Hockey Federation. 11 November 2019. Retrieved 14 November 2019.