MUMBAI: Dubai-based Ten Sports is spreading into the Land of the Rising Sun on the wings of its hockey rights.

The coverage of ten matches of the men's Olympic qualifying tournament currently taking place in Madrid, Spain, are airing in Japan on Masala TV, courtesy Ten Sports.

Masala TV targets South Asian expatriates in Japan and receives daily programming from Ten Sports, including live cricket and now hockey. Ten Sports is a long-term broadcast partner of the International Hockey Federation (FIH) and broadcasts throughout Asia and the Middle East.

The coverage will include at least two Japan matches, and India and Pakistan games.

FIH honourary secretary general Peter Cohen was quoted in an official release saying, "Japan is a particularly difficult TV market to crack. With hockey development in any country so dependent on television coverage, FIH is very grateful to Ten Sports, Masala TV and our distribution agents Octagon CSI for bringing us this opportunity."