FIH Men's Hockey World Cup 2026: India face Pakistan in Pool D with knockout berth on the line
India meet Pakistan at the Wagener Hockey Stadium in Amstelveen on August 19 in a Pool D match at the FIH Men's Hockey World Cup 2026 that will decide which side remains in contention for the semi-finals.
England top Pool D with six points after two wins; India sit second with three points following a 3-1 victory over Wales and a 2-4 defeat to England, while Wales and Pakistan each have one point, Wales ahead on goal difference after Pakistan drew 3-3 with Wales and lost 1-4 to England.
Under the tournament format, the top two teams from each pool remain in contention for the semi-finals and the bottom two move into classification matches; India require at least a draw to secure second place in Pool D, while Pakistan and Wales must win to keep their campaigns alive.
The recent head-to-head record heavily favours India: since the 2016 South Asian Games final the sides have met 19 times in the last 10 years, with India winning 17 encounters and the other two ending in draws, meaning Pakistan have not beaten India in a decade.
“We always have the rivalry; that’s never off the table. As a proud coach of the Indian team, you want to win every time you play against Pakistan. That’s a given,” said India’s chief coach, Craig Fulton. “At the same time, they are doing a little bit more investment in their coaching and trying to improve the long-term plan for Pakistan. "But we’ve just got to keep playing our style, making sure we are clinical and not giving them any free gifts because they can create goals from nothing," he added. "As long as we know what they are good at and we stop them from doing that and we play the game and not the occasion, we’ve got a good chance.”
India will look to captain Harmanpreet Singh, the team’s drag-flick specialist, who has scored three goals in two matches so far at the tournament, all from penalty corners; Indian forwards have shown movement and chance-creation but the side will be focused on improving their finishing.
With one point from two matches, Pakistan know only a victory will keep their semi-final hopes alive, a situation the source described as giving them urgency and the potential to be a dangerous opponent in a match where emotions and intensity are expected to run high.
The Pool D match is scheduled to begin at 6:30 pm Indian Time on Wednesday, August 19; the winner will join England in remaining in contention for the semi-finals, while the losing side will move into the classification phase of the tournament.