The Indian men and women's hockey teams have tough opening matches in the World Cup later this year.

The men's team meets hosts and strong contenders for the title Germany [Images] in their first outing of the World Cup, to be played from September 6 to 17 at Monchengladbach.

However, have some relief as they will take on a relatively less challenging England [Images], South Africa and Korea before locking horns with world No. 2 the Netherlands in their last league tie.

In the women's World Cup, to be played at Madrid, Spain, from September 27 to October 8, the India runs into favourites the Netherlands in their very first outing.

The women have a more difficult schedule in the round-robin stages as they play Olympic champions Germany, England, Spain and China.

The schedule

Men's World Cup:

Sept 6: Germany v India, Argentina v New Zealand [Images], Korea v Netherlands

Sept 7: India v England, Pakistan v Japan [Images], Australia v Spain, Netherlands v South Africa

Sept 8: New Zealand v Pakistan, England v Korea, Spain v Argentina

Sept 9: South Africa v India, Germany v Netherlands, Japan v New Zealand, Argentina v Australia

Sept 10: Pakistan v Spain, England v Germany, Korea v South Africa, Australia v Japan

Sept 11: Spain v New Zealand, India v Korea, Argentina v Pakistan, Netherlands v England

Sept 12: New Zealand v Australia, Japan v Argentina, Germany v South Africa, India v Netherlands

Sept 13: Japan v Spain, Korea v Germany, South Africa v England, Australia v Pakistan

Sept 14: Rest Day

Final/Classification Matches:

Sept 15: (For 5th to 8th places) 3rd Pool A v 4th Pool B, 3rd Pool B v. 4th Pool A, (for 1st to 4th places) 1st Pool A v 2nd Pool B, 1st Pool B v 2nd Pool A

Sept 16: (for 9th to 12th places) 5th Pool A v 6th Pool B, 5th Pool B v. 6th Pool A, (for 7th and 8th places) Loser of 1st match on Sept 15 v Loser of 2nd match on Sept 15, (for 5th and 6th places) Winner of 1st match on Sept 15 v Winner of 2nd match on Sept 15.

Sept 17: (for 11th and 12th places) Loser of 1st match on Sept 16 v Loser of 2nd match on Sept 16, (for 9th and 10th); Winner of 1st match on Sept 16 v Winner of 2nd match on Sept 16, (for 3rd and 4th places); Loser of 3rd match on Sept 15 v Loser of 4th match on Sept 15, (for 1st and 2nd places); Winner of 3rd match on Sept 15 v Winner of 4th match on Sept 15.

Women's World Cup:

Sept 27:  Netherlands v India, Korea v Japan, Australia v South Africa, China v England, Spain v Germany, Argentina v USA.

Sept 28: Korea v South Africa, Australia v USA, Argentina v Japan

Sept 29: England v Netherlands, China v Spain, India v Germany

Sept 30: Korea v Australia, USA v Japan, South Africa v Argentina

Oct 1: Netherlands v Spain, India v England, Germany v China

Oct 2: Japan v Australia, South Africa v USA, Argentina v Korea

Oct 3: England v Germany, China v Netherlands, Spain v India

Oct 4: Netherlands v Germany, South Africa v Japan, India v China, Korea v USA, Spain v England, Australia v Argentina

Oct 5: Rest Day.

Final/Classification Matches:

Oct 6: (for 5th to 8th places) 3rd Pool A v 4th Pool B, (for 9th to 12th places) 5th Pool A v 6th Pool B, (for 5th to 8th places) 3rd Pool B v 4th Pool A, (for 9th to 12th places) 5th Pool B v 6th Pool A (for 1st to 4th places) 1st Pool A v 2nd Pool B, 1st Pool B v. 2nd Pool A.

Oct 7: Winner of 1st match on Oct 6 v Winner of 3^rd match on Oct 6, (for 11th and 12th places) Loser of 2nd match on Oct 6 v Loser of 4th match on Oct 6, (for 9th to 10^th places) Winner of 2nd match on Oct 6 v Winner of 4th match on Oct 6.

Oct 8: (for 7th and 8th places) Loser of 1st match on Oct 6 v Loser of 3rd match on Oct 6, (for 3rd and 4th places), Loser of fifth match on Oct 6 v. Loser of sixth match Oct 6, (for 1st and 2nd places) : Winner of 5th match on Oct 6 v Winner of 6th match on Oct 6.

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