Led by Harmanpreet Singh and Salima Tete, India's hockey teams head to the 2026 FIH World Cup looking to end long medal droughts ahead of next month's Asian Games.
India's men's hockey team will begin its 2026 FIH World Cup campaign against Wales in Amstelveen on India's 80th Independence Day, aiming to end a 51-year medal drought. The eight-time Olympic champions last claimed a World Cup medal when Ajit Pal Singh led the team to victory in Kuala Lumpur in 1975 during the pre-synthetic turf era. Captained by Harmanpreet Singh and coached by Craig Fulton, the current team enters the tournament following bronze medals at the Tokyo 2021 and Paris 2024 Olympics, Asian Games gold in 2023, and a 2025 Asia Cup title that secured World Cup qualification.
The men's squad has regrouped following the retirement of legendary goalkeeper P.R. Sreejesh, alongside recent controversies involving most-capped player Manpreet Singh and a jersey color change from blue to saffron. Despite finishing eighth in the FIH Pro League 2025-26, India recorded victories over World champion Germany and Olympic champion the Netherlands. Comprising two-time Olympic medallists and promising youngsters, India aims for a higher finish than its sixth and ninth-place results in the last two World Cups. In pool play, the team faces eighth-ranked Wales, England, and traditional rival Pakistan.
The ninth-ranked Indian women's team, captained by Salima Tete, has rebuilt under Dutch coach Sjoerd Marijne following administrative turmoil and an alleged sexual harassment case involving a former Hockey India official. Marijne, who guided India to a program-best fourth-place finish at the Tokyo Olympics during his first stint, led the team to World Cup qualification and a Nations Cup victory. Featuring five players with 200 caps and 11 debutants, the squad opens pool play on August 16 against Olympic silver medallist China before taking on South Africa and higher-ranked England, seeking to surpass its ninth-place finish from 2022.
For the first time, the World Cup for both genders features 32 teams competing in a new format co-hosted by Belgium and the Netherlands. Both Indian squads view the tournament as a critical benchmark before competing in next month's Asian Games, where retaining gold will guarantee a berth at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Reporting sourced from The Hindu Sport. Photo courtesy The Hindu Sport.