Qualification
Each of the continental champions from five confederations and the host nation received an automatic berth. The European confederation received three extra quotas based upon the FIH World Rankings at the completion of the 2008 Summer Olympics. Alongside with the three winners of each of the three Qualifiers, twelve teams competed in this tournament.
| Dates | Event | Location | Quotas | Qualifier(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Host nation | 1 | India | ||
| 7–15 March 2009 | 2009 Pan American Cup | Santiago, Chile | 1 | Canada |
| 9–16 May 2009 | 2009 Hockey Asia Cup | Kuantan, Malaysia | 1 | Korea |
| 10–18 July 2009 | 2009 Hockey African Cup for Nations | Accra, Ghana | 1 | South Africa |
| 22–30 August 2009 | 2009 EuroHockey Nations Championship | Amsterdam, Netherlands | 4 | England Germany Netherlands Spain |
| 25–29 August 2009 | 2009 Oceania Cup | Invercargill, New Zealand | 1 | Australia |
| 31 October – 8 November 2009 | Qualifier 1 | Lille, France | 1 | Pakistan |
| 7–15 November 2009 | Qualifier 2 | Invercargill, New Zealand | 1 | New Zealand |
| 14–22 November 2009 | Qualifier 3 | Quilmes, Argentina | 1 | Argentina |
| Total | 12 | |||
Read more about this topic: 2010 Men's Hockey World Cup