The FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup 2026 is set to begin on August 15, with India entering the tournament with the ambition of ending its long wait for another World Cup title. The tournament will be jointly hosted by Belgium and the Netherlands and will run until August 30.
India are placed in Pool D alongside England, Pakistan and Wales. All of India's pool stage matches will be played at the Wagener Stadium in Amstelveen, Netherlands.
India will begin its campaign against Wales on August 15. The match is scheduled for 4:30 PM Indian Standard Time. The team will then face England on August 17 at 6:30 PM IST before meeting arch rivals Pakistan on August 19 at 6:30 PM IST.
The Indian team will be led by experienced defender and drag flick specialist Harmanpreet Singh. Veteran midfielder Manpreet Singh, India's most capped player, is also part of the squad and brings considerable international experience to the team.
Hockey India has selected a 20 member squad combining experienced players with younger talent. Chief coach Craig Fulton has described the squad as a balanced group built around tournament experience and players who have earned their places through recent performances.
The goalkeeping department includes Mohith HS and Suraj Karkera. The defensive group consists of Jarmanpreet Singh, Harmanpreet Singh, Amit Rohidas, Jugraj Singh, Sanjay, Sumit and Yashdeep Siwach.
The midfield features Rajinder Singh, Aditya Arjun Lalage, Hardik Singh, Manpreet Singh, Nilakanta Sharma and Vivek Sagar Prasad.
India's forward line includes Dilpreet Singh, Shilanand Lakra, Sukhjeet Singh, Mandeep Singh and Abhishek. The combination provides the team with a mix of experience, attacking ability and younger players seeking to make their mark on the international stage.
The 2026 World Cup features 16 men's teams divided into four pools of four teams each. The first phase will see teams compete within their respective pools. The top two teams from each pool will advance to the next stage.
The eight teams progressing from the opening phase will then be divided into two groups. The leading teams from the second phase will advance to the semifinal stage, followed by the medal matches. This structure makes the opening pool matches particularly important because teams need to secure strong results to progress to the next stage.
India's history in the Hockey World Cup adds considerable importance to the 2026 campaign. The country won its only men's World Cup title in 1975. That success came more than five decades ago, leaving India still searching for a second title.
The Indian team has since remained an important force in international hockey, with Olympic success and strong performances in other major tournaments. However, the World Cup title has remained out of reach since the 1975 triumph.
The current squad therefore enters the tournament with a significant opportunity. Captain Harmanpreet Singh has said the team sees the World Cup as a responsibility rather than simply pressure, while the coaching staff has emphasised taking the tournament one match at a time.
The Pool D fixtures will provide India with three different challenges. Wales will be the opening opponent, followed by England and then Pakistan. The Pakistan match is expected to attract significant attention because of the longstanding rivalry between the two hockey teams.
The tournament will also feature some of the world's leading hockey nations, including defending champions Germany, hosts Netherlands and Belgium, Australia, Argentina, Spain and other established teams. Matches will be played in Amstelveen in the Netherlands and Wavre in Belgium.
For Indian hockey supporters, the tournament represents another opportunity to see a new generation compete on the biggest international stage. The combination of experienced players such as Harmanpreet Singh and Manpreet Singh with younger members of the squad will be central to India's campaign.
India's immediate objective will be to progress from Pool D and build momentum through the later stages. A strong opening against Wales could provide the foundation for the remaining pool matches against England and Pakistan.
The 2026 Men's Hockey World Cup therefore carries considerable expectations for Indian hockey. With a balanced squad, experienced leadership and a clear target of ending the long World Cup drought, India will begin its campaign hoping to create a new chapter in its hockey history