Ireland’s hockey team now know when they will be playing the strongest teams in the world following the release of the Rio Olympic Games fixture list.
Ireland’s men, who are the first Irish side to represent their country in a team sport at a Games since 1948, have been drawn in Pool B alongside some of the sport's best.
Amongst their opponents will be Olympic champions Germany, silver medallists Netherlands and Pan-American champions Argentina.
The men’s tournament begins with a mouth-watering match on 6 August when the Netherlands, take on Argentina.
Later that same day day, European bronze medallists Ireland face off against 2014 Asian Games champions India.
The Green Machine take on the Dutch the following day with matches against Canada on August 12 and Argentina 24 hours later.
Ireland has no less than ten games pencilled in for May, June and July, when they will face off against Korea, Canada and the Netherlands.
They will then jet out to South America for their pre-Games training camp, which will take place in Argentina, and then head on to Brazil.
The stand-out match of the men's group stage will be a repeat of the London 2012 final on 12 August. The Netherlands, currently second in the world rankings, will be out to avenge their defeat to third-ranked Germany.
The Germans will also have a point to prove after the Dutch thrashed them 6-1 in the final of the 2015 European Championship.
The women’s event will begin in style, with reigning Hockey World League champions and London 2012 silver medallists Argentina looking to reverse their loss to the USA in the Pan-American Games final.
Ireland's Olympic hockey schedule
August 6
India v Ireland
August 7
Netherlands v Ireland
August 9
Germany v Ireland
August 11
Ireland v Canada
August 12
Ireland v Argentina
August 14
Quarter-finals
August 16
Semi-finals
August 18
Bronze medal match
August 18
Gold medal match
Men's groups
Pool A
Australia
Great Britain
Belgium
New Zealand
Spain
Brazil
Pool B
Netherlands
Germany
Argentina
India
Ireland
Canada
Women's groups
Pool A
Netherlands
New Zealand
China
Germany
Republic of Korea
Spain
Pool B
Argentina
Australia
Great Britain
USA
Japan
India
