Olympic gold medallists Argentina will clash with European champions The Netherlands during next year’s Hockey World League semi-final event in Britain ©Getty Images

Olympic gold medallists Argentina will clash with European champions The Netherlands during next year’s Hockey World League (HWL) semi-final event in Britain, it has been announced after the schedule for each men’s and women’s tournament was confirmed.

The South American outfit and the Dutch team are two of the six nations who are earmarked to take part in the men’s semi-final at the Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London, due to take place from June 15 to 25.

Both will be joined at the competition by hosts England, Asian champions India, South Korea and Pakistan.

Four qualifiers who will also secure their spot at each semi-final through HWL round two tournaments.

South Africa is set to stage a joint men’s and women’s HWL semi-final, which is scheduled to be held at the Randburg Hockey Stadium in Johannesburg between July 8 and 23.

Hockey World Cup, HWL and Champions Trophy winners Australia, Olympic silver medallists Belgium, Olympic bronze medallists Germany, New Zealand, Spain and hosts South Africa are the entrants in the men’s event.

Several members of the British team which won the Olympic gold medal will feature for England during the HWL semi-final event in South Africa next year ©Getty Images
Several members of the British team which won the Olympic gold medal will feature for England during the HWL semi-final event in South Africa next year ©Getty Images

In the women’s tournament, a number of players who played in Britain’s gold-medal winning team at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro are likely to feature for England, and they will take on reigning Hockey Champions Trophy and World League champions Argentina, Olympic bronze medallists Germany, the host nation, Pan American champions the United States and Japan.

The Stade Fallon in Brussels has been chosen as the venue for the opening women’s HWL semi-final from June 21 to 2 July.

A strong field is set to take to the field in the Belgian city, with world champions The Netherlands going up against hosts Belgium, Oceania champions Australia, HWL season two runners-up New Zealand, China and South Korea.

As well as places in the HWL final, with the men’s event set to be held in India and the women’s in New Zealand, nations will be bidding to book their 2018 World Cup berths.

The HWL, along with the Champions Trophy, has been axed from the FIH’s calendar from 2018 onwards in favour of a new three-tier home and away competition, which will come into effect in 2019.