The 2026 Men’s FIH Hockey World Cup is being played from August 15 to 30, 2026, across Wavre, Belgium, and Amstelveen, Netherlands. The tournament features 16 teams, with the competition moving from the preliminary pools into a second round and classification phase before the knockout matches.
India were placed in Pool D alongside England, Pakistan and Wales. England topped the group with three wins from three matches and nine points, while India finished second with six points after two wins and one defeat. Pakistan and Wales ended on one point each.
If you enjoyed reading this article, you can help support our journalism by adding OHeraldo as a preferred source.
Pool D Points Table
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | England | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 5 | +11 | 9 |
| 2 | India | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 8 | +2 | 6 |
| 3 | Pakistan | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 12 | -5 | 1 |
| 4 | Wales | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 14 | -8 | 1 |
The classification system uses points first, followed by matches won, goal difference, goals scored, head-to-head result and field goals scored.
India’s Pool D Results
India began their campaign with a 3-1 win over Wales on August 15, with Harmanpreet Singh scoring twice and Sanjay also finding the net.
The second match brought India their only pool-stage defeat. England beat India 4-2 on August 17, despite goals from Harmanpreet Singh and Dilpreet Singh.
India bounced back strongly against Pakistan on August 19, winning 5-3 in a high-scoring contest. Harmanpreet scored twice, while Abhishek Nain also struck twice and Hardik Singh added another goal.
Second Round: India’s Campaign
India advanced to Pool E, where they faced the Netherlands, England and Argentina. However, the second round proved difficult. India lost all three matches and finished fourth with zero points, scoring six goals and conceding 12.
India lost 3-1 to the Netherlands on August 22, with Harmanpreet scoring India’s only goal.
They then suffered a 5-3 defeat against Argentina on August 24. Sukhjeet Singh scored twice and Hardik Singh added India’s third goal.
With the results leaving India fourth in Pool E, the team moved into the seventh-place match, where they are scheduled to face Belgium on August 28 at 5 pm local time in Wavre.
Major Remaining Schedule
The tournament’s knockout and classification matches are scheduled for August 28, followed by the World Cup final on August 30.
| Match | Date | Time | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13th-place match: Japan vs France | Aug 28 | 9:30 am | Wagener Stadium |
| 15th-place match: Wales vs Malaysia | Aug 28 | 11:00 am | Belfius Hockey Arena |
| 11th-place match: Pakistan vs South Africa | Aug 28 | 12:30 pm | Wagener Stadium |
| 9th-place match: New Zealand vs Ireland | Aug 28 | 2:00 pm | Belfius Hockey Arena |
| 5th-place match: England vs Australia | Aug 28 | 3:00 pm | Wagener Stadium |
| 7th-place match: India vs Belgium | Aug 28 | 5:00 pm | Belfius Hockey Arena |
| Final | Aug 30 | — | — |
The top four teams after the second round advance to the medal semifinals. The semifinal bracket features Netherlands vs Spain on one side, while Germany and the other qualifying side contest the second semifinal.
With the final scheduled for August 30, the 2026 World Cup is heading into its decisive weekend, while India will now look to finish seventh after missing out on the semifinal places.
