India have progressed to the second round of the FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup 2026 after finishing second in Pool D.
The Indian team secured its place in the next stage after defeating arch-rivals Pakistan 5-3. Under the tournament’s new format, India will now compete in Pool E, where it will face the Netherlands and Argentina.
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The Harmanpreet Singh-led side will need to finish among the top two teams in Pool E to book a place in the semifinals.
India’s opponents in Pool E
- Netherlands
- Argentina
Pool E standings before the second round
| Team | Matches | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals scored | Goals against | Goal difference | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| England | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | +2 | 3 |
| Netherlands | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | +2 | 3 |
| India | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | -2 | 0 |
| Argentina | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | -2 | 0 |
India’s second-round schedule
Netherlands vs India — Saturday, August 22, 7:30pm IST
Venue: Wagener Stadium, Amstelveen
India will take on the Netherlands in their first second-round match on Saturday. The Dutch side also enter the stage with three points after winning their opening game.
Argentina vs India — Monday, August 24, 6:15pm IST
Venue: Wagener Stadium, Amstelveen
India will then face Argentina on Monday in their second Pool E match. The result could prove crucial in determining which teams finish in the top two and advance to the semifinals.
With only two matches to play in the second round, India will need to produce strong results against both opponents to keep their semifinal hopes alive.
