In the heart of Malaysia, some of the best hockey nations in the world are about to renew their rivalry, as the 30th edition of the prestigious Sultan Azlan Shah Cup will be played in Ipoh, Malaysia from 4-11 May.
This year, the tournament not only promises exhilarating matches but also serves as a prelude to another big event looming on the horizon. The Sultan Azlan Shah Cup will be contested between six teams, namely Canada, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Pakistan and Korea. Of these six participating teams, five teams with the exception of Japan, will be heading to Gniezno shortly after the tournament, to participate in the FIH Hockey Men’s Nations Cup, where the title as well as an opportunity to be promoted to the FIH Hockey Pro League will be at stake.
The Sultan Azlan Shah Cup 2024 will begin with a round robin stage where all 6 teams will play each other once, followed by positional playoffs. The teams finishing in the bottom two places of the league stage will contest in a 5th place classification match. Teams finishing in third and fourth place in the pool stage will compete for bronze, while the top two teams will play in the final for the title.
Malaysia are the reigning champions of the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup from 2022, since the 30th edition was postponed from 2023 to 2024. The 29th edition was the first time the hosts won the title, having finished as runners-up on 5 occasions in the history of the competition.
Korea are three-time winners of the competition, with their last title winning campaign coming in 2019 and have historically been a team that produces its best in high-stakes tournament hockey.
Pakistan, also three-time champions, will be looking to build on their impressive FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers campaign where they missed out on Olympic qualification by the narrowest of margins, as they build-up to the Nations Cup.
New Zealand, the champions of the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in 2012 and 2015, are back on the upward trajectory by qualifying for the upcoming Olympic Games Paris 2024, which came after their relegation from the FIH Hockey Pro League last season. If New Zealand can continue their forward momentum, they will be among the favourites for the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup as well as the FIH Hockey Nations Cup, where a victory can propel them back into the FIH Hockey Pro League for the 2024-25 season.
Canada will make their tenth appearance at the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in 2024 and will be hoping to improve upon their 4th place finish in 2019, which accounts for their best result in the history of the event.
Japan will be the sole team playing at the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup 2024, which won’t be headed to the FIH Hockey Men’s Nations Cup in Gniezno, Poland. However, that should on sharpen the resolve of the team, to aim for their first ever podium position in their sixth appearance in the competition.
As the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup unfurls its drama, the five teams that will be heading to the FIH Hockey Men’s Nations Cup within a fortnight, will not only vie for supremacy but also use this platform to fine-tune their strategies and test their mettle against top-notch competition.
The full match schedule for the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup 2024, can be found here.
by Asia Hockey
