Next year's edition of the bi-annual competition, which was introduced in 2001 as part of the Champions series of tournaments to broaden the sport's international competitive base, will see the men competing between April 26 and May 4, and the women starting a day later but finishing on the same date.

Featuring teams from New Zealand, Spain, Korea, South Africa, hosts Malaysia, Canada, Ireland and Japan, the men's competition will take place at the 7,500-capacity Kuantan Hockey Stadium, which hosted the Asia Cup in 2009 and a Hockey World League Round 1 event in 2012, in the Pahang state capital.

The women's tournament, meanwhile, will see South Korea, the United States, South Africa, India, Belgium, Spain, Ireland and hosts Scotland playing at the newly-constructed Glasgow National Hockey Centre, which has been built for next year's Commonwealth Games.

The women's Hockey Champions Challenge 1 will be the first international event at the venue, which features two hockey pitches.

The women's Hockey Champions Challenge 1 will be the first international event at the Glasgow National Hockey Centre, which has been built for the 2014 Commonwealth Games


"We are hugely excited to be hosting the FIH Champions Challenge next year and we are very much looking forward to welcoming all the participating nations to play in this prestigious competition," Scottish Hockey chair Scott Baird said.

"This is a perfect opportunity for Scotland and the city of Glasgow to present and showcase top international hockey at a first class venue to our members, key stakeholders and the general public.

"With the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games hockey competition taking place at the very same venue only three months later, it is an ideal time to build anticipation and excitement among our supporters for what will be a fantastic time for hockey in this country."

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