(Photo: © FIH / Dr Wolfgang Sternberger)
The International Hockey Federation (FIH) is pleased to release the match schedule for the FIH Indoor World Cup.  The double event – which takes place once every four years – will be played in the Polish city of Poznan from the 8th to the 13th February 2011.

A total of 76 matches will take place over an intense six day period, with two pitches in operation at the same time. Day 1 (Tuesday 8th February) will feature 12 contests, with six men’s and six women’s matches taking to the field. The opening matches of the tournament will feature the men of Russia and USA (Pool B) taking to the field on Pitch 1 at 12.30 (GMT +1), while the women’s international teams from the Czech Republic and Austria (Pool A) will do battle on Pitch 2 at the same time. The home crowd will be treated to a fantastic ending to their day on Pitch 1, with Poland women taking on Australia (Pool B) at 17.30 before the men also take on the Aussies (Pool A) at 18.45.

Days 2 and 3 (9th & 10th February) will both consist of eighteen matches, with Day 4 (11th February) witnessing 12 crucial matches to determine which teams will secure places in the Semi Finals and the classification matches. The Tournament finals and the Bronze Medal matches will be played on Sunday 13th February 2011.  To download the complete Schedule in PDF format, please click here.

For the first time in the short history of the FIH Indoor World Cup, all five continents will be represented at the third Edition of the tournament. The national indoor teams of Iran (men) and Kazakhstan (women) are history makers by representing Asia in an Indoor World Cup for the first time, with the respective men's and women's teams from Uruguay and Argentina being the first ever participants from South America, showing the increasing popularity of the indoor game outside of its European heartland. There are also Indoor World Cup debuts for Namibia (men & women) and England (men).

The FIH Indoor World Cup will take place at the Poznan International Fair Exhibition Hall in February 2011, a year which marks the 85th anniversary of the foundation of the Polish Hockey Association. 

The FIH has launched a special microsite for the tournament, which bring you all official information both in the build up and throughout the event itself. To find out more, please visit www.poznan2011.sportcentric.com .