Hockey was contested at the 1908 and 1920 Olympics, but was not on the Olympic Program in 1924. From 1928, hockey would become a standard sport on the Olympic Program. Nine countries competed in 1928 in a tournament with two groups advancing the winners of each pool to the gold medal match, and the runners-up to the bronze medal match. India went undefeated, winning all its group matches, and the final over the Netherlands, 3-0. This was the first of six consecutive gold medals won by India in hockey.
The matches were played at two venues, the main Olympic Stadium in Amsterdam, and the Amsterdamsche Stadion. The Amsterdamsche Stadion was built in 1924 and was also called the Harry Elte Stadion after the architect who had designed it.