The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has officially approved the qualification system for both the men's and women's hockey tournaments at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. This marks a significant step in the preparations for the Games. Both tournaments will feature 12 teams, a format consistent since the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

As the host nation, the United States automatically secures a spot in each tournament. The remaining 11 slots per gender will be filled through a combination of routes: the FIH Hockey Pro League, continental championships, and Olympic qualification tournaments.

Qualification Paths

• FIH Hockey Pro League: The highest-placed nation in the FIH Hockey Pro League seasons of 2025-26 and 2026-27 will qualify. If the same team wins both seasons, the runner-up of the 2026-27 season will qualify. For the Indian men's hockey team, they are already part of the FIH Pro League Season 7. The Indian women's team could potentially have two opportunities at a quota through the Pro League pathway, though they will first need to win the 2025-26 FIH Nations Cup to gain promotion for the Women's FIH Pro League for the 2026-27 season.

• Continental Championships: The highest-placed team from each of the five continental championships will qualify, provided they haven't already qualified as the host or through the FIH Hockey Pro League. If a team has already qualified through another route, the next-highest-placed team in that continental championship will qualify. These championships include the African Hockey Road to LA28 (scheduled in 2027), Pan American Games 2027, Asian Games 2026, EuroHockey Championship 2027, and Oceania Cup 2027. The winners of both the men's and women's hockey tournaments at the Asian Games 2026 will earn continental quotas for the LA 2028 Olympics. In the Pan American region, should the USA win the 2027 Games, the runner-up will not automatically qualify; instead, that quota will revert to the Olympic qualification tournaments.

• FIH Olympic Qualification Tournaments: There will be four tournaments in early 2028, two for men and two for women, each featuring eight teams. The top two teams in each tournament will secure their place at the Olympics.

Venue

The hockey competitions will be held at Carson Fields, located just outside downtown Los Angeles, adjacent to the home of the LA Galaxy football team. The venue will be transformed into a state-of-the-art hockey facility.

The IOC's decision to finalize the qualification system well in advance of the Games provides National Olympic Committees, athletes, and their support teams with ample time to prepare. The approved system ensures that athletes have at least two opportunities to qualify, maintains continental and universal representation, and aims to minimize travel demands. This approach aligns with the IOC's broader objectives for LA28, which include prioritizing cost reduction, engaging the best athletes, promoting gender equality and youth relevance, and upholding integrity and environmental sustainability.

With the qualification pathways now clear, teams around the world, including the Indian men's and women's teams, can focus their strategies on securing their spots at the LA28 Olympics.