"VAN" (Sports Desk - 30.08.2025) :: The International Hockey Federation (FIH) has successfully hosted an open session of its “Empower & Engage Series” titled “Strategic Planning for the Future of Hockey”, the first in a series of opportunities for hockey`s stakeholders to make their contribution to the future FIH Strategy. The webinar drew strong interest from across the hockey family, with 328 participants registering from all over the world, representing a diverse mix of National Associations, Continental Federations, clubs, schools, and other stakeholders committed to shaping the sport’s future.
The session was opened by FIH President Tayyab Ikram and FIH Director General Mike Joyce, who underlined the importance of engaging the global community in building the next phase of the sport’s strategy.
A collaborative conversation on hockey’s future
Participants were divided into smaller groups to explore key strategic themes, including:
Vision for the Future of Hockey
Supporting People in Hockey
National Association Membership Services
Global Event Calendar
Formats & Rules of Hockey
The Values of Hockey
Each group’s conclusions were then shared back in plenary, sparking a dynamic and lively exchange of perspectives. Ideas ranged from strengthening athlete pathways and volunteer support to innovating formats and reaffirming hockey’s unique culture and values.
Building on the Hockey Revolution
This webinar marks the first step in a wider consultation process leading up to the launch of the new FIH Strategy in December 2025.
The initiative builds on the foundations of the “Hockey Revolution” strategy, unveiled at the 2014 FIH Congress, which delivered significant milestones over the past decade. At the same time, the sport must respond to new global challenges and opportunities, not least the 45 commitments made at the IOC’s Olympism365 Summit in June 2025, which call on sport to remain globally relevant and contribute to a better world.
Through this series, FIH and its stakeholders aim to gather an open exchange of opinions and experiences, including bold ideas, constructive criticism, and fresh proposals, to ensure hockey continues to grow and inspire new generations worldwide.
FIH President Tayyab Ikram remarking on the success of the first webinar said: “Our mission is clear: to promote and develop hockey for the benefit of everyone involved in our sport. This dialogue created through the “Strategic Planning for the Future of Hockey” series is not a formality, it is an invitation for the hockey community to challenge us, to share what works, and to imagine together what hockey can and should be in the years ahead. The energy and commitment shown in this first webinar proves that hockey has a strong and united global family ready to shape the future.”
Next steps 👣
The “FIH Empower & Engage” series will continue over the coming months with more opportunities for the global hockey community to participate, share ideas, and co-create the sport’s strategic vision.
This first webinar set the tone for what promises to be an inclusive and impactful journey.
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