Mumbai, Oct 21 (IANS): The International Hockey Federation (FIH) has made major changes in the FIH Pro League format, making it available two direct qualifying berths each for the subsequent World Cups and Olympic Games to winners in both men's and women's sections for the seasons starting from 2023-24 season.

"Winner of the Men's and Women's Pro League season 5 and season 6 will qualify for the World Cup in 2026 and the winners of seasons 7 and 8 will get direct entry into the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles," the CEO of International Hockey Federation (FIH), Thierry Weil told the media in an online interaction on Friday.

From the fourth edition to be conducted in the 2022-23 season, the FIH will introduce relegation and promotion with the last-placed team at the end of the season in both men's and women's competitions dropping down to the Nations Cup while winners of the Nations Cup getting promoted to the respective conducting Pro League tournaments, the FIH CEO said.

The fourth season of the FIH Men's Pro League, to be conducted as mini-tournaments 3-4 teams to reduce the amount of travelling for players, starts on October 28 at the Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar with hosts India taking on New Zealand, who return to the Pro League after staying away for a season because of Covid-19 travel restrictions.

Spain is the third team for this cluster of matches and the hosts will play both opponents twice between October 28 and November 4, with The Black Sticks playing Spain on October 29; India taking on Spain on October 30 and will end this cluster of matches with a clash against New Zealand on November 4.

The Indian men's team will play its matches at Bhubaneswar and Rourkela, which will act as test events for the newly-constructed stadium here before the World Cup in January 2023.

The FIH had started the Pro League on a home-and-away basis as an alternative to the tournaments involving more than two teams as it felt that there were not many takers for matches not involving the home teams. However, over the last couple of seasons, it has diluted the home and away format to reduce the amount of travel for players which was not only hitting the federations financially but impacting the players physically.

These changes were necessary to reduce the travel involved and to complete the FIH Pro League in such a way that it does not impact the various tournaments and leagues, the FIH CEO said.

Thus, the fourth edition of the women's FIH Pro League will start on November 5 with Belgium taking on Germany in Mendoza, Argentina.

Weil said providing direct qualification to Pro League winners will not hit the importance of the Continental competitions as the direct berths to regional champions will stay. "The direct berth to the winners of the Continental events will stay as will the direct berth to the World Cup and Olympic Games host country. Two berths in each section will go to Pro League winners and the rest will be awarded through a tournament," said Theirry Weil.