SuperSport says that African FIH Indoor World Cup hopes will lay firmly in the hands of South Africa and Namibia. Both nations will have their men's and women's teams competing.

South Africa opens its tournament when the women's team faces Thailand at 12:50 on Monday, 3 February, while the men face Croatia at 21:50 on the opening day. SuperSport says that it will show all the matches live on SuperSport Variety 2 (DStv Channel 207) in South Africa and SuperSport Africa 2 and Action Africa in the Rest of Africa.

The matches will also be streamed on DStv Stream and GOtv, adds the broadcaster.

The format of this year's tournament is the same as the Rugby 7s at the Paris Olympics. Three groups of four countries with the top two in each group plus the two best third-placed teams going through to the quarter-finals. There is an added incentive as a top six finish for an African team earns the continent an additional spot at the 2029 Indoor World Cup, says SuperSport.

"SuperSport prides itself in offering our viewers the best of all sports, and the FIH World Cup provides us an opportunity to platform the much-loved sport that is hockey," says SuperSport CEO, Rendani Ramovha.

"Often more recognised during the Olympics in field hockey, it is our intention to make sure that a sport like indoor hockey gets the exposure it deserves. As a sport widely played in the South African school sporting systems, we are certain this tournament will draw much fanfare and cultivate new heroes for our future champions," adds Ramovha. 

"From a format familiar to one of our most popular sports to the vested interest on account of South Africa and Namibia's participation both in the men's and women's divisions, this year's edition of the FIH World Cup perfectly encapsulates the kind of sporting action SuperSport viewers are hungry for. We cannot wait to feed viewers clashes between the best of the best," concludes Ramovha.

For more information, visit www.supersport.com. You can also follow SuperSport on Facebook, X, Instagram, or on TikTok.

*Image courtesy of contributor