Field hockey at the 2008 Summer Olympics

Field hockey at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing was held over a fourteen-day period beginning on 10 August, culminating with the medal finals on 22 and 23 August. All games were played at the hockey field constructed on the Olympic Green.

Competition format

Twelve teams competed in both the men's and women's Olympic hockey tournaments with the competition consisting of two rounds. In the first round, teams were divided into two pools of six teams, and play followed the round robin format with each of the teams playing all other teams in the pool once. Teams were awarded three points for a win, one point for a draw and zero points for a loss. At the end of the pool matches, teams were ranked in their pool according to the following criteria, in order:

• Total points accumulated
• Number of matches won
• Goal difference
• Goals for
• The result of the match played between the teams in question

Following the completion of the pool games, teams placing first and second in each pool advanced to a single elimination round consisting of two semifinal games, and the bronze and gold medal games. Remaining teams competed in classification matches to determine their ranking in the tournament. During these matches, extra time of 71⁄2 minutes per half was played if teams were tied at the end of regulation time. During extra time, play followed golden goal rules, with the first team to score declared the winner. If no goals were scored during extra time, a penalty stroke competition took place.

Competition schedule

The competition schedule was released on 29 May 2008, by the International Hockey Federation and Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games.

Qualification

Men's qualification

Each of the continental champions from five federations and host received an automatic berth. The European and Asian federations received two and one extra quotas respectively, based upon the FIH World Rankings at the completion of the 2006 World Cup. In addition to the three teams qualifying through the Olympic Qualifying Tournaments, the following twelve teams, shown with final pre-tournament rankings, competed in this tournament.

Women's qualification

Each of the continental champions from five federations and host received an automatic berth. The European federation received two extra quotas, while Oceania received one extra quota, based upon the FIH World Rankings at the completion of the 2006 World Cup. In addition to the three teams qualifying through the Olympic Qualifying Tournaments, the following twelve teams, shown with final pre-tournament rankings, competed in this tournament.

^1 – China qualified both as host and continental champion; therefore, that quota was given to the Asian federation, allowing Japan to qualify directly for the 2008 Summer Olympics as the second-placed team at the 2006 Asian Games .

Men's tournament

First round

Pool A

Pool B

Medal round

Final ranking

1.  Germany
2.  Spain
3.  Australia
4.  Netherlands
5.  Great Britain
6.  South Korea
7.  New Zealand
8.  Pakistan
9.  Belgium
10.  Canada
11.  China
12.  South Africa

Women's tournament

First round

Pool A

Pool B

Medal round

Final ranking

1.  Netherlands
2.  China
3.  Argentina
4.  Germany
5.  Australia
6.  Great Britain
7.  Spain
8.  United States
9.  South Korea
10.  Japan
11.  South Africa
12.  New Zealand

Medal summary

Medal table

  *   Host nation (China)

Medalists

References

External links

• Official FIH website
• Hockey – Official Results Book

1. Field hockey at the Summer Olympics
2. Field hockey at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Men's tournament
3. Field hockey at the 1936 Summer Olympics
4. Field hockey at the 1956 Summer Olympics
5. Field hockey at the 1960 Summer Olympics
6. Field hockey at the 1928 Summer Olympics
7. Field hockey at the 1920 Summer Olympics
8. Field hockey at the 2004 Summer Olympics
9. Field hockey at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Women's tournament
10. India at the 2024 Summer Olympics
11. Field hockey at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Men's team squads
12. Field hockey at the 2012 Summer Olympics
13. India at the Olympics
14. Russia at the 2008 Summer Olympics
15. India at the 2008 Summer Olympics
16. India at the 2020 Summer Olympics
17. Field hockey at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Women's team squads
18. Field hockey at the 2020 Summer Olympics – Women's tournament
19. Great Britain at the 2008 Summer Olympics
20. Field hockey at the 2004 Summer Olympics – Men's tournament