India set to face England in Pool D at Wagener Hockey Stadium on August 17, 2026
India were scheduled to face England in their second Pool D match at the Wagener Hockey Stadium in Amstelveen on August 17, 2026, as part of the FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup 2026, with live coverage provided by Khel Now.
England led Pool D after one match while India sat second with the same points but an inferior goal difference; England opened their campaign with a 4-1 win over Pakistan and India defeated Wales 3-1. India’s three goals against Wales all came from penalty corners, with captain Harmanpreet Singh scoring a brace and defender Sanjay adding the other, and the team sought improved conversion from open play.
Recent meetings between the sides have been tight: head-to-head over recent years stands at 10 wins for India, 9 for England and five draws. At the Paris Olympics quarter-final Amit Rohidas was shown a red card in the 17th minute, leaving India with 10 players for most of that match, and India subsequently finished that tournament with a bronze medal. The two nations also met twice in the FIH Pro League in London, with both matches going to shootouts and India and England each taking one victory.
India’s midfielder Hardik Singh said: “When two evenly-matched teams face off, then things can heat up on the pitch,” and added: “But we don’t carry any animosity, as we are friends with many players in the England team irrespective of whatever happened in the Paris Olympics quarter-final. “In major tournaments, we have always dominated them. However, it doesn’t mean we can take them lightly. You have to be better than your opponent on that given day.”
India’s chief coach, Craig Fulton, commented on the contest and recent form: “Since we have started playing the Pro League, it’s been pretty equal. But the World Cup is different. It’s a must-win game for both the teams.” Fulton added: “They are the highest-ranked team in our pool, so we are really going to go after them. We have got to do a good job because they’ve got unbelievable players and a good structure. “They are good at what they do. But we have our own plans and hopefully we’ll foil their plans to put our mark on the game and try, and get the three points.”
A victory for either side would strengthen its position in Pool D as the tournament’s first stage advances: the top two finishers from each of the four pools will progress to the next stage still in the race for the semi-finals, and group winners earn direct entry into the semi-finals.
The Pool D match was scheduled to start at 6:30 pm Indian Time on August 17 at the Wagener Hockey Stadium in Amstelveen; Khel Now opened live blog coverage at 6:15 pm to provide minute-by-minute updates.