India Hockey World Cup 2026: Women Reach Second Round as Men Seal Progression

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 India's men's and women's hockey teams have both secured places in the second round of the FIH Hockey World Cup 2026, keeping their semifinal hopes alive.

India Women Hold England to 0-0 Draw

India played out a tense 0-0 draw against England in their final Pool D match on August 20. The result was enough for India to finish second in Pool D with five points and qualify for the second round.

England created significant pressure, but India's defence held firm, particularly in the closing stages. India will now face two of the tournament's strongest teams.




Women's Second Round

India are in Pool E alongside Netherlands, China and Australia. The top two teams advance to the semi-finals.

  • August 21: Netherlands vs India — 9:30 PM IST
  • August 23: Australia vs India — 10:30 PM IST

India will need strong results in both matches to reach the last four.

India Men Beat Pakistan 5-3

The men's team bounced back brilliantly after their 2-4 defeat to England, beating Pakistan 5-3 in their final Pool D match.

The victory took India into the second round in second place in Pool D, with six points.

Men's Second Round

India now enter Pool E with Netherlands, Argentina and England. The top two teams will qualify for the semi-finals.

  • August 22: Netherlands vs India — 7:30 PM IST
  • August 24: Argentina vs India — 6:30 PM IST

The Netherlands and Argentina will provide a major test, but India have already shown they can compete with the world's best.



India's Road to the Semi-Finals

Both Indian teams now have two matches to finish in the top two of their respective second-round pools.

The women face Netherlands and Australia, while the men face Netherlands and Argentina. It is a huge opportunity for Indian hockey, with both teams still in contention for a place in the World Cup semi-finals.

Sportspredictor will continue to bring you India's Hockey World Cup results, schedules and analysis.


Author: Anirudh Gaur
Sports Management & Operations | Sportspredictor

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