The Rabobank Hockey World Cup 2014 will be an amazing event that reaches far beyond the hockey pitches in the stadiums. The tournament’s official start is the opening ceremony on Friday 30 May at the World Forum in The Hague. This spectacular event will unite supporters from all over the world through sport, music and culture. There will be plenty of opportunities to enjoy all sorts of activities in and around The Hague during the rest of the tournament.

Hockey Park
Between matches, wander around the shops, stands, and La Place restaurants in the Hockey Park situated between the Kyocera Stadium and the temporary GreenFields Stadium. Each participating country’s music and food will be put in the spotlight in this lively promotional village. The marquee will be the entertainment centre, and video screens will broadcast the events in the stadiums as they happen. Hockey is for everyone, and there will be plenty to do for our younger visitors on mini-hockey fields. There will also be a professional child care service.

Side events
The Hague will be the centre of the hockey world during the Rabobank World Hockey Cup. Its hockey clubs are organising a string of side events: tournaments for schools, for companies and for veterans. The beach at Scheveningen will be the backdrop for an international beach hockey competition, while the city of The Hague itself will be the backdrop for a cultural festival. Even the Plein near the Binnenhof, the central courtyard of the parliamentary complex in the city centre of The Hague, will be turned into a hockey pitch where politicians, children and others will play against each other.

Stockey World Tour
World Cup mascot Stockey will be introducing local primary school children to the different countries taking part in the Rabobank Hockey World Cup in a special way. Rather than attending formal lessons, between 2,000 and 3,000 local school children will spend the entire morning at the Kyocera complex, watching matches, playing hockey on the mini pitch in the Hockey Plaza or relaxing in the Kids’ Corner. They will also take part in different workshops to learn about the importance of healthy eating and how to make the most of their pocket money.

Charity: Jeugdsportfonds
Hockey is a growth sport in the Netherlands and every year thousands of Dutch children sign up to one of the country’s 320 hockey clubs. But not every child is lucky enough to be able to take part - because their families simply can’t afford it. That is why the Dutch men’s and women’s national teams are supporting the Jeugdsportfonds, a registered charity which raises money to pay for less fortunate children to take part in the sport of their dreams.

• Click here for an overview of all side events with international participants