"VAN" (Sports Desk - 19.12.2024) :: As we pull the curtains on the riveting hockey year that was 2024, we take a look at how things look in the world rankings heading into the new year of 2025, that promises to bring even more thrilling hockey action your way!
In the men’s world rankings, Olympic champions Netherlands (3267) stand at the top of the rankings. Netherlands started the year in the top spot following a great run in the FIH Hockey Men’s World Cup, and gold medals at the FIH Hockey Pro League and the EuroHockey Championship in 2023. Adding a gold at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 further solidified their status as the team to beat heading into 2025!
A fast start to the 2024-25 season of the FIH Hockey Pro League has propelled England (3139) into second place in the world with Belgium (3124) in third following closely behind, having made a good start to the new Pro League season themselves.
Germany (3066) had climbed up to second place following their silver medal at Paris 2024, but a rough start to the Pro League sees them drop two places, down to fourth in the world.
India (2955) and Australia (2814) are placed fifth and sixth in the world, with both teams set to start their Pro League seasons at home in February 2025, with Australia playing in Sydney from 4 February, while India will start their campaign on 15 February in Bhubaneswar.
Argentina (2722), Spain (2570), France (2116) and Ireland (2112) round out the top-10 to end 2024, with South Africa (2082), New Zealand (2058), Malaysia (1970), Korea (1945) and Pakistan (1942) giving chase as teams ranked from 11 to 15.
In the women’s world rankings, Netherlands (3689) had another perfect year winning the gold medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics, along with the EuroHockey Championships gold and another FIH Hockey Pro League title. The Dutch dominance on field means they remain well clear of the competition on the world ranking table heading into the new year.
Argentina (3203) continue to remain in a distant second place, following their bronze medal performance at Paris 2024. They did manage to close the gap between themselves and Netherlands earlier this month, after getting their first win in nearly three years, over the Dutch side in the FIH Hockey Pro League 2024-25.
Belgium (2918), Germany (2846) and Australia (2820) started the year as the third, fourth and fifth ranked teams in the world and continue to hold the same positions as we head into 2025. However, following closely behind and rapidly closing the gap are Alyson Annan’s China (2685) who have gone from strength to strength in 2024, with a historic silver medal performance at the Olympics being the crowning achievement in a year where they achieved plenty of new highs.
England (2471) are stepping into a new era following a slew of retirements in the aftermath of Paris 2024, and while they hold on to the seventh spot in the world rankings, three losses in four matches to start the new season of the Pro League mean, the chasing pack have now closed in on the English.
Spain (2422), India (2350) and New Zealand (2124) round out the top-10 positions heading into 2025. Both Spain and India will aim to climb up the rankings ladder early in 2025 when they start their FIH Hockey Pro League 2024-25 campaigns in February, in Sydney and Bhubaneswar respectively.
The chasing pack behind the top-10 includes Japan (2063) in eleventh, Ireland (2028) in twelfth, United States (1998) in thirteenth, Chile (1962) in fourteenth and Korea (1869) in fifteenth.
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