Hockey at the Olympic Games
Field hockey
Hockey has been at the Olympic Games since London 1908, in every Games but 1912 and 1924; women's hockey joined at Moscow 1980. The first champions were England (for Great Britain) in 1908.
2024HolderNetherlands (Paris 2024; 1-1 with Germany, shoot-out 3-1)
- Next
- Los Angeles 2028, 14 to 30 July
- Most golds
- India, 8
- India
- 13 medals: 8 gold, 1 silver, 4 bronze; bronze at Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024
- Cycle
- Every four years
Winners, newest first
20243rdSilverGoldGold: NetherlandsFinal: 1-1 (3-1 s.o.) · Silver: Germany · Host: Paris
- Bronze
- India (2-1 over Spain)
- Fourth
- Spain
- Teams
- 12
20203rdSilverGoldGold: BelgiumFinal: 1-1 (3-2 s.o.) · Silver: Australia · Host: Tokyo (held 2021)
- Bronze
- India (5-4 over Germany)
- Fourth
- Germany
- Teams
- 12
20163rdGoldSilverGold: ArgentinaFinal: 4-2 · Silver: Belgium · Host: Rio de Janeiro
- Bronze
- Germany (1-1, shoot-out 4-3 over the Netherlands)
- Fourth
- Netherlands
- Teams
- 12
2012GoldSilver3rdGold: GermanyFinal: 2-1 · Silver: Netherlands · Host: London
- Bronze
- Australia
- Fourth
- Great Britain
- Teams
- 12
2008Gold3rdSilverGold: GermanyFinal: 1-0 · Silver: Spain · Host: Beijing
- Bronze
- Australia
- Fourth
- Netherlands
- Teams
- 12
20043rdSilverGoldGold: AustraliaFinal: 2-1 (a.e.t.) · Silver: Netherlands · Host: Athens
- Bronze
- Germany
- Fourth
- Spain
- Teams
- 12
2000Gold3rdSilverGold: NetherlandsFinal: 3-3 (5-4 p.s.) · Silver: South Korea · Host: Sydney
- Bronze
- Australia
- Fourth
- Pakistan
- Teams
- 12
1996Gold3rdSilverGold: NetherlandsFinal: 3-1 · Silver: Spain · Host: Atlanta
- Bronze
- Australia
- Fourth
- Germany
- Teams
- 12
1992GoldSilver3rdGold: GermanyFinal: 2-1 · Silver: Australia · Host: Barcelona
- Bronze
- Pakistan
- Fourth
- Netherlands
- Teams
- 12
1988Gold3rdSilverGold: Great BritainFinal: 3-1 · Silver: West Germany · Host: Seoul
- Bronze
- Netherlands
- Fourth
- Australia
- Teams
- 12
19843rdGoldSilverGold: PakistanFinal: 2-1 (a.e.t.) · Silver: West Germany · Host: Los Angeles
- Bronze
- Great Britain
- Fourth
- Australia
- Teams
- 12
1980Gold3rdSilverGold: IndiaFinal: 4-3 · Silver: Spain · Host: Moscow
- Bronze
- Soviet Union
- Fourth
- Poland
- Teams
- 6
1976SilverGold3rdGold: New ZealandFinal: 1-0 · Silver: Australia · Host: Montreal
- Bronze
- Pakistan
- Fourth
- Netherlands
- Teams
- 11
19723rdSilverGoldGold: West GermanyFinal: 1-0 · Silver: Pakistan · Host: Munich
- Bronze
- India
- Fourth
- Netherlands
- Teams
- 16
19683rdSilverGoldGold: PakistanFinal: 2-1 · Silver: Australia · Host: Mexico City
- Bronze
- India
- Fourth
- West Germany
- Teams
- 16
1964Gold3rdSilverGold: IndiaFinal: 1-0 · Silver: Pakistan · Host: Tokyo
- Bronze
- Australia
- Fourth
- Spain
- Teams
- 15
1960SilverGold3rdGold: PakistanFinal: 1-0 · Silver: India · Host: Rome
- Bronze
- Spain
- Fourth
- Great Britain
- Teams
- 16
1956GoldSilver3rdGold: IndiaFinal: 1-0 · Silver: Pakistan · Host: Melbourne
- Bronze
- United Team of Germany
- Fourth
- Great Britain
- Teams
- 12
1952Gold3rdSilverGold: IndiaFinal: 6-1 · Silver: Netherlands · Host: Helsinki
- Bronze
- Great Britain
- Fourth
- Pakistan
- Teams
- 12
1948GoldSilver3rdGold: IndiaFinal: 4-0 · Silver: Great Britain · Host: London
- Bronze
- Netherlands (bronze match replayed: 1-1, then 4-1)
- Fourth
- Pakistan
- Teams
- 13
1936GoldSilver3rdGold: IndiaFinal: 8-1 · Silver: Germany · Host: Berlin
- Bronze
- Netherlands
- Fourth
- France
- Teams
- 11
1932GoldSilver3rdGold: IndiaFinal: round robin · Silver: Japan · Host: Los Angeles
- Bronze
- United States
- Teams
- 3
1928Gold3rdSilverGold: IndiaFinal: 3-0 · Silver: Netherlands · Host: Amsterdam
- Bronze
- Germany
- Fourth
- Belgium
- Teams
- 9
1920Gold3rdSilverGold: Great BritainFinal: round robin · Silver: Denmark · Host: Antwerp
- Bronze
- Belgium
- Fourth
- France
- Teams
- 4
1908GoldGold: Great Britain (England)Final: 8-1 · Silver: Great Britain (Ireland) · Host: London
- Bronze
- Great Britain (Scotland); Great Britain (Wales)
- Teams
- 6
1908 was a knockout with two bronze medals; 1920 and 1932 were round robins.
No tournament in 1912 or 1924. In 1908 the four British teams each played as Great Britain.
2024HolderNetherlands (Paris 2024; 1-1 with China, shoot-out 3-1)
- Next
- Los Angeles 2028
- Most golds
- Netherlands, 5
- India
- No medal; 4th in 1980 and 2020
- Cycle
- Every four years
Winners, newest first
2024Gold3rdSilverGold: NetherlandsFinal: 1-1 (3-1 s.o.) · Silver: China · Host: Paris
- Bronze
- Argentina (2-2, shoot-out 3-1 over Belgium)
- Fourth
- Belgium
- Teams
- 12
2020GoldSilver3rdGold: NetherlandsFinal: 3-1 · Silver: Argentina · Host: Tokyo (held 2021)
- Bronze
- Great Britain (4-3 over India)
- Fourth
- India
- Teams
- 12
2016Silver3rdGoldGold: Great BritainFinal: 3-3 (2-0 s.o.) · Silver: Netherlands · Host: Rio de Janeiro
- Bronze
- Germany
- Fourth
- New Zealand
- Teams
- 12
2012GoldSilver3rdGold: NetherlandsFinal: 2-0 · Silver: Argentina · Host: London
- Bronze
- Great Britain
- Fourth
- New Zealand
- Teams
- 12
2008Gold3rdSilverGold: NetherlandsFinal: 2-0 · Silver: China · Host: Beijing
- Bronze
- Argentina
- Fourth
- Germany
- Teams
- 12
2004SilverGold3rdGold: GermanyFinal: 2-1 · Silver: Netherlands · Host: Athens
- Bronze
- Argentina
- Fourth
- China
- Teams
- 10
20003rdGoldSilverGold: AustraliaFinal: 3-1 · Silver: Argentina · Host: Sydney
- Bronze
- Netherlands
- Fourth
- Spain
- Teams
- 10
19963rdGoldSilverGold: AustraliaFinal: 3-1 · Silver: South Korea · Host: Atlanta
- Bronze
- Netherlands (0-0, won on strokes over Great Britain)
- Fourth
- Great Britain
- Teams
- 8
1992Silver3rdGoldGold: SpainFinal: 2-1 (a.e.t.) · Silver: Germany · Host: Barcelona
- Bronze
- Great Britain
- Fourth
- South Korea
- Teams
- 8
19883rdGoldSilverGold: AustraliaFinal: 2-0 · Silver: South Korea · Host: Seoul
- Bronze
- Netherlands
- Fourth
- Great Britain
- Teams
- 8
1984Gold3rdSilverGold: NetherlandsFinal: round robin · Silver: West Germany · Host: Los Angeles
- Bronze
- United States (level with Australia; penalty strokes)
- Fourth
- Australia
- Teams
- 6
1980Silver3rdGoldGold: ZimbabweFinal: round robin · Silver: Czechoslovakia · Host: Moscow
- Bronze
- Soviet Union
- Fourth
- India
- Teams
- 6
India at the Olympic Games
Men: 22 tournaments, 13 medals; qualified for 2028
| Year | Place | Year | Place | Year | Place |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1928 | Gold | 1964 | Gold | 1996 | 8th |
| 1932 | Gold | 1968 | Bronze | 2000 | 7th |
| 1936 | Gold | 1972 | Bronze | 2004 | 7th |
| 1948 | Gold | 1976 | 7th | 2008 | Did not qualify |
| 1952 | Gold | 1980 | Gold | 2012 | 12th |
| 1956 | Gold | 1984 | 5th | 2016 | 8th (quarter-finals) |
| 1960 | Silver | 1988 | 6th | 2020 | Bronze |
| 1992 | 7th | 2024 | Bronze |
India did not take part in 1908 or 1920.
Women: 3 tournaments; qualified for 2028
| Year | Place |
|---|---|
| 1980 | 4th (round robin) |
| 2016 | 12th |
| 2020 | 4th (lost 4-3 to Great Britain for bronze) |
| 2024 | Did not qualify |
India's men and women have qualified for Los Angeles 2028.
More about this tournament
Medal tables
Sorted by gold, then silver, then bronze, as the IOC does.
Men
| Team | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| India | 8 | 1 | 4 | 13 |
| Netherlands | 3 | 4 | 3 | 10 |
| Pakistan | 3 | 3 | 2 | 8 |
| Great Britain | 3 | 2 | 4 | 9 |
| Germany | 3 | 2 | 3 | 8 |
| Australia | 1 | 4 | 5 | 10 |
| West Germany | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| Belgium | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Argentina | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| New Zealand | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Spain | 0 | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| Denmark, Japan, South Korea | 0 | 1 each | 0 | 1 each |
| United States, Soviet Union, United Team of Germany | 0 | 0 | 1 each | 1 each |
Women
| Team | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Netherlands | 5 | 2 | 3 | 10 |
| Australia | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Germany | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Great Britain | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 |
| Spain | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Zimbabwe | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Argentina | 0 | 3 | 3 | 6 |
| China | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| South Korea | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Czechoslovakia, West Germany | 0 | 1 each | 0 | 1 each |
| Soviet Union, United States | 0 | 0 | 1 each | 1 each |
How teams qualify (for Los Angeles 2028)
Twelve teams in each tournament. Places come from the host, continental events and, for the first time, the 2025-26 Pro League champions (Belgium men, the Netherlands women). The FIH's own qualification system has not yet been read, so the full list of routes is to check.
Format by edition
| Years | Teams | Format | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1908 | 6 | Knockout | FIH-ED |
| 1920 | 4 | Single round robin | FIH-ED |
| 1928 | 9 | Two pools, then a final and a bronze match | FIH-ED |
| 1932 | 3 | Single round robin | FIH-ED |
| 1936, 1948 | 11; 13 | Three pools, then semi-finals and medal matches | FIH-ED |
| 1952 | 12 | Knockout: preliminary round, quarter-finals, semi-finals, medal matches | FIH-ED |
| 1956 | 12 | Three groups, then semi-finals and medal matches | FIH-ED |
| 1960 | 16 | Four groups, quarter-finals, semi-finals, medal matches | FIH-ED |
| 1964 to 1972 | 15 to 16 | Two groups (of seven or eight), semi-finals, medal and placing matches | FIH-ED |
| 1976 | 11 | Two groups, semi-finals, medal and placing matches | FIH-ED |
| 1980 | 6 | Round robin of six, then medal matches | FIH-ED |
| 1984 to 2012 | 12 | Two groups of six, semi-finals, medal and placing matches (1996 and 2004: the FIH data names a quarter-final stage) | FIH-ED |
| 2016, 2020 | 12 | Two pools of six, quarter-finals, semi-finals, medal matches | FIH-ED |
| 2024 | 12 | Pools not named in the FIH data; quarter-finals onward as 2016 | WP |
| Women 1980, 1984 | 6 | Single round robin (1984 bronze settled by penalty strokes) | FIH-ED; WP |
| Women 1988, 1992 | 8 | Two groups of four, semi-finals, medal matches | FIH-ED |
| Women 1996 | 8 | Round robin of eight, then medal matches | FIH-ED |
| Women 2000 | 10 | Three pools, then a second round and medal matches | FIH-ED |
| Women 2004 | 10 | Two pools of five, semi-finals, medal matches | FIH-ED |
| Women 2008 to 2020 | 12 | Two pools of six, then semi-finals (quarter-finals from 2016) and medal matches | FIH-ED |
The Olympic event moved from grass to synthetic turf at Montreal 1976.
History
How it began
Hockey first appeared at the London Games of 1908, with England, France, Germany, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. It was missing in 1912 and 1924; the FIH itself was founded in Paris in January 1924.
India's era
India won gold at its first Games in 1928 and at every Games to 1956, six in a row, a run the FIH describes as a 38-year reign from 1928 to 1960. Pakistan ended it in the 1960 final; India regained the title in 1964 and won its eighth and last gold in Moscow in 1980.
After grass
From the move to synthetic turf in 1976 the title spread: New Zealand (1976), Pakistan (1984), Great Britain (1988), Germany (1992, 2008, 2012), the Netherlands (1996, 2000, 2024), Australia (2004), Argentina (2016) and Belgium (2020). India's men returned to the podium with bronze in 2020 and 2024.
Women's hockey
Women's hockey joined in 1980. Zimbabwe won the first title in a round robin, with India fourth. The Netherlands have won five golds, including the last two (2020, 2024).
Firsts and facts
- First Olympic hockey: London 1908; first champions England, playing for Great Britain.
- India: eight golds, the most of any team; six in a row from 1928 to 1956.
- India's 1932 win over the United States, 24-1, is the biggest winning margin in the FIH's Olympic match data.
- First women's champions: Zimbabwe, 1980.
- Men's finals settled by penalty strokes or shoot-out: 2000, 2020, 2024; women's: 2016, 2024.