Hockey World Cup 2026: India field men’s and women’s sides in Belgium and the Netherlands on August 15 amid long-standing tournament jinx
India’s men’s and women’s hockey teams begin their Hockey World Cup campaigns in Belgium and the Netherlands on August 15, 2026, confronting a tournament jinx that has dogged both sides for decades. Both squads arrive off recent positive results and targeted preparations under their respective coaches, Craig Fulton and Sjoerd Marijne.
Since 1975 the Indian men have not reached a World Cup semi-final, while the women’s side last made the final four at the inaugural 1974 edition and have struggled to make a comparable impact since. Ajit Pal Singh captained India in 1971 and lifted the trophy in his second appearance as skipper; Harmanpreet Singh will captain India again after 2023, becoming only the second Indian after Ajit Pal Singh to lead the side in two World Cups. Under Sjoerd Marijne, the women arrive buoyed by a Nations Cup victory and by the squad’s historic fourth-place finish at the Tokyo Olympics.
The men’s recent form improved markedly in the final leg of the FIH Pro League, where India finished with 31 goals and picked up wins over reigning world champions Germany and Olympic champions the Netherlands, beat Pakistan twice and edged England in a shootout. A training camp in the Swiss Alps and work with mental coach Paddy Upton are cited as additional preparation gains ahead of the World Cup. "We have worked really hard for this tournament, having analysed all the teams deeply. We are playing against Wales after a long time but their style remains the same. We had a great training session ahead of the match, so the team is really upbeat," said Harmanpreet to PTI.
Captaincy and attacking responsibility centre on Harmanpreet Singh, who has scored 291 goals in 264 games and remains the team’s primary scoring threat. The drag-flick workload may be shared with Jugraj Singh and Amit Rohidas, while Rajinder Singh is singled out as a potential attacking wildcard. "With Manpreet Singh and Hardik Singh giving him the support, I think the Rajinder can be a game changer because other teams will be aware of Hardik and Manpreet and Rajinder can go through," said Romeo James.
Goalkeeping is flagged as a selection focus after the retirement of PR Sreejesh; Krishan Pathak and Suraj Karkera were once seen as successors but Krishan Pathak now appears to be out of the national team picture. Mohith KS has "emerged as the new kid on the block" in the squad, and James emphasised the small margin for error for the keepers: "The only thing is that both the goalkeepers, whoever is playing, they have to be up to the mark. They play well then the team will have that confidence that they can go through," said James. James added praise for Mohith: "He is covering his angles well and he's very cool under the bar," and commented on Harmanpreet’s impact: "He has improved as a player, as a drag-flicker, as a captain, and he's very humble. He takes the team along, so Harmanpreet has always been a game-changer in the last two Olympics," said James.
The women’s squad has undergone a generational shift since Tokyo, with Savita remaining in the leadership group and a new cohort of players now central to the team. Salima Tete said: "Every player dreams of playing in a World Cup and winning a medal. Our last tournament in New Zealand, the FIH Nations Cup, was a great success. We won it and brought home the medal. So this time, in the World Cup, our goal is the same. Every match counts, and we will treat each one with equal importance. We are determined to play our best hockey and bring back the gold medal." Former India coach Pritam Rani Siwach set out match-by-match priorities: "I think the first thing is to focus on one match at a time. Whatever our first match is, we have to focus on that first, look at the opponent and decide what we need to do." She added tactical emphasis: "First, we have to keep our defence strong and not concede goals, and then we have to score against the opponent. That is the most important point to keep in mind. And second, in defence, defending penalty corners, and in attack, conversion. These are the two things that are very important to focus on when it comes to penalty corners."
Selected squads and scheduled fixtures as listed: Goalkeepers: Mohith HS, Suraj Karkera. Defenders: Jarmanpreet Singh, Harmanpreet Singh (c), Amit Rohidas, Jugraj Singh, Sanjay, Sumit, Yashdeep Siwach. Midfielders: Rajinder Singh, Aditya Arjun Lalage, Hardik Singh, Manpreet Singh, Nilakanta Sharma, Vivek Sagar Prasad. Forwards: Dilpreet Singh, Shilanand Lakra, Sukhjeet Singh, Mandeep Singh, Abhishek. Women’s Goalkeepers: Savita, Bichu Devi Kharibam. Defenders: Ishika Chaudhary, Sushila Chanu Pukhrambam, Lalthantluangi, Jyoti, Shilpi Dabas. Midfielders: Nikki Pradhan, Sakshi Rana, Sunelita Toppo, Salima Tete (c), Neha, Deepika Soreng. Forwards: Lalremsiami, Rutuja Dadaso Pisal, Navneet Kaur, Deepika, Ishika, Baljeet Kaur, Beauty Dungdung.
Fixture list: August 15: India vs Wales (4:30 PM IST). August 17: India vs England (6:30 PM IST). August 19: India vs Pakistan (6:30 PM IST). August 16: China vs India (4:30 PM IST). August 18: India vs South Africa (6:30 PM IST). August 20: India vs England (6:30 PM IST). Phase 2 of the tournament will start on August 21 and run until August 25; Phase 3 will begin on August 27 and continue until August 28. The women's medal matches will take place on August 29, while the men's medal matches will be played on August 30.
India’s immediate task is to negotiate the pool stage and advance to the knockout rounds; Romeo James advised a stepwise approach with the quarter-finals as the initial objective. India’s group matches begin on August 15 with India vs Wales (4:30 PM IST), followed by the fixtures and phase dates above as the teams seek to begin a new chapter at this World Cup.
