Harmanpreet says India will target Asian Games gold and Olympic qualification after World Cup finish
India captain Harmanpreet Singh said on August 29, 2026 that the team will shift focus to the Asian Games after finishing eighth at the Hockey World Cup following a shootout defeat to Belgium in the seventh-eighth place playoff.
India failed to beat any higher-ranked opposition during the World Cup and now turn their attention to the Asian Games next month where they will attempt to defend their title. India won the Asia Cup last year, and a gold medal in Japan would secure qualification for the Los Angeles Olympics.
Reflecting on the 7th-8th place match against Belgium, Harmanpreet acknowledged the match's low standing but drew positives from the performance, saying: "Both teams didn't want to play for this position, and both were in the same mental status. But playing against the world's top team in front of their fans and performing well as a team is a big boost," as quoted by PTI.
Harmanpreet said he was pleased with the team's display in that game and stressed the squad will carry momentum into the Asian Games. "We kept talking about putting in a good performance for the entire 60 minutes, which we saw today. We're happy with the performance against Belgium, but not with the eighth-place finish. But this is a journey, and now our next goal is the Asian Games. We want to win the gold medal there and qualify for the Los Angeles Olympics," he said.
India's defence came under scrutiny after conceding 19 goals in the tournament, the sixth-worst total among competing teams, and Harmanpreet said the team must improve collectively at the back. "There are no individual goals. If we win, we win as a team, and if we lose, it is also collective responsibility. We've learnt good lessons in defence throughout the tournament. If we don't defend well as a team, big teams will trouble you. We need to be stronger defensively. This is one area where we lagged behind," he said.
India's next confirmed fixture is the opening match of their Asian Games campaign against Indonesia on September 20.
