On Monday, the International Hockey Federation (FIH) released rankings for the men’s and women’s teams. The Indian Men’s Hockey team slipped to the seventh position, whereas the women’s team ranked ninth.
India’s poor form is a concern
A poor European leg of the Pro League saw India (2688) drop many points in the Pro League and the world rankings, where they now find themselves in seventh, a mere 2 points behind Argentina. Their bad form right before the Paris Olympics is a big concern for India’s medal hopes.
FIH Men’s team ranking
| Rank | Team | Points |
| 1 | Netherlands | 3069.05 |
| 2 | England | 2986.02 |
| 3 | Belgium | 2939.8 |
| 4 | Australia | 2921.84 |
| 5 | Germany | 2765.82 |
| 6 | Argentina | 2690.94 |
| 7 | India | 2688.79 |
| 8 | Spain | 2365.08 |
| 9 | France | 2241.85 |
| 10 | New Zealand | 2219.85 |
Netherlands holds the top spot
In the Men’s rankings, Netherlands (3069) has maintained its position as the top team in the Men’s ranking for over a full year. After a title fight in the Pro League, England (2986) has cut the gap with the Netherlands in the world rankings, but they maintain their second spot in the standings.
Belgium (2939) defeated the Netherlands, ultimately settling for third place. Australia (2921), who are now in fourth position. Less than a hundred points cover teams between fifth and seventh place. World Cup winners Germany (2765) find themselves in fifth position.
India’s women’s team ranked at number 9
Like the men’s rankings, Netherlands (3534) continues to be the dominant force at the top of the rankings. They have a 571-point lead over second-placed Argentina (2963). Germany (2834),are ranked third in the world. Belgium (2771) in fourth and Australia (2743) in fifth are two more teams that had impressive ends to their Pro League seasons.
England (2443) in sixth, Spain (2409) in seventh and China (2380) in eighth are separated by less than 65 points. India (2087), ranked ninth in the world, is the highest-ranked team missing out on the Olympic Games.
