The FIH has announced a new competition calendar starting in 2019 ©FIH

The International Hockey Federation (FIH) have unveiled a new competition system here today which includes axing the flailing Hockey World League (HWL) and Champions Trophy tournaments in favour of establishing a brand-new event.

The changes to the FIH calendar come into effect in 2019 and have a direct consequence on the qualification process for future Olympic Games.

Instead of the HWL, the format of which had been the subject of criticism and questions to its viability from some of the sport’s top names, and the Champions Trophy, a new three-tier home and away competition will be launched in three years’ time.

Competing nations will clash twice a year, once at home and once away, in a format similar to the HWL.

Teams participating in the brand-new league will be chosen based on a defined set of qualification rules, while countries will also compete in second-tier and third-tier events which mirror the HWL.

Following the first phase of the tournament, the top-ranked nations will then participate in a grand finale to decide the overall winners.

The competition will offer qualification for the Hockey World Cup and the Olympic Games, pending the approval of the process for Tokyo 2020 by the International Olympic Committee.

The move comes amid an attempt from the sport’s worldwide governing body to revamp the sport after it almost lost its Olympic place back in 2013, eventually surviving despite being in the bottom three along with wrestling and modern pentathlon, and forms part of the 10-year Hockey Revolution strategic plan.

The Hockey World League is one of two competitions to have been axed by the FIH
The Hockey World League is one of two competitions to have been axed by the FIH ©Getty Images

It is hoped the new portfolio of events will help grow the sport across the globe and will go some way to addressing falling attendances and viewing figures.

“When we launched our strategy 18 months ago we knew that drastic measures were required to revolutionise the sport,” FIH President Leandro Negre said.

“This is an exciting opportunity for hockey.

“A lot of hard work has already been undertaken, but this is only the start.

“We need the hockey family to embrace this change now to ensure we reach our 10-year aim of making hockey a global game that inspires the next generation.

“This will certainly be a monumental step for the sport as we take it to the next level.”

Further details on the format and name of the home and away competition are expected to be released in the near future.

“This is a historic decision for the sport of hockey - a game changer,” FIH chief executive Kelly Fairweather added.

“More than a year’s worth of work and over 700 people have helped develop this new portfolio of events.

“Moving from a tournament-based format to a home and away league will considerably increase the value of our sport.”