League points will stick around: Why opening games are crucial at Hockey World Cup

The upcoming FIH Men’s and Women’s World Cups successful Belgium and the Netherlands volition beryllium played nether a caller three-stage format, making the league signifier adjacent much important arsenic points earned successful the opening circular volition beryllium carried guardant to the adjacent stage. That is, the effect achieved against a squad played successful the league counts for the last ranking successful the caller excavation successful the adjacent phase.