Saturday 24 / May / 2025
Muscat: His Highness Sayyid Theyazin bin Haitham Al Said, Minister of Culture, Sports and Youth, patronised the official opening of the FIH Hockey5s World Cup, which will be held in Muscat from 24 to 31 January.
The opening ceremony was held at the Sustainable City Sales Centre in the Wilayat of Muttrah, in the presence of a number of Their Highnesses, Excellencies, International Hockey Federation President Tayyab Ikram, and representatives of the participating teams.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Ikram said: “The hosting of Hockey5s World Cup was preceded by the holding of Paris 2024 Olympic Qualifiers, which was held from January 15 to 21. To hold the Olympic Qualifiers and now to host the World Cup is a special and historic achievement for Oman. Eight top teams competed for the three spots for the Paris Olympics, which were decided here."
Ikram added: “I am very confident that the city of Muscat will successfully host the FIH Hockey5s World Cup.”
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Marwan bin Juma Al Juma, President of the Oman Hockey Association (OHA) and the tournament director, said: “We welcome everyone to the opening of the FIH Hockey5s World Cup. To host the inaugural edition in Oman is a historic occasion. Oman has had a long history of more than a century of the game being played in the country.”
The event will be held at the newly-built Hockey Oman Complex in Al Amerat. The international standard stadium had recently hosted the Paris 2024 Olympic Qualifiers and is now all set to host the Hockey5s World Cup matches from Wednesday.
The ceremony witnessed a march past of the participating teams followed by the presentation of the trophy. The tournament flag was also raised ahead of a musical audio-visual presentation tracing Oman’s hockey’s past and present. Action will begin with women’s competition from Wednesday with the Women’s World Cup winner to be decided on January 27 while men’s action will be held from the next day to January 31 when the first-ever men’s winner of the FIH Hockey5s World Cup will be crowned. A total of 16 games in women’s event will be played on the opening day.
Hosts Oman will be making their debut at the FIH World Cup in both men’s and women’s events.
