Great Britain captain Barry Middleton and the prolific James Tindall will be among those in action for the European champions.

England will come face to face with Commonwealth Games bronze medallists New Zealand, and head coach Jason Lee is excited about the competition.

"It's great to have a tournament at home," he said.

"It will be difficult and the games will be of a very high standard but I hope we can put on a good show for the home crowd."

Middleton added: "I'm really looking forward to getting the chance to run out in front of a home crowd at The London Cup.

"With so much excitement around the Olympic Games this is a great opportunity for people to come and see us and find out a bit more about hockey.

"I think anyone who isn't familiar with hockey will be very impressed with the speed and skill.

"It's bound to capture people's imagination."

Fans will have the opportunity to meet their heroes during the competition this week, whilst there will also be a Fun Zone for visitors to test their skills and win prizes.

The tournament is taking place at the University of Westminster Sports Ground from July 12-16, and will be a crucial part of England's preparation for the defence of its European title in Germany next month.

Schools from across the United Kingdom will come to London to see Korea take on New Zealand before England get the tournament underway against Belgium.

At the conclusion of the tournament will be an Annual Awards Lunch to reward the success and dedication of teams across the country.

Tickets can still be purchased during the week on 0844 499 3222 or online here, with prices starting at £5 for under 18s of £10 for adults.

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