India opened their FIH Hockey World Cup 2026 campaign with a confident 3-1 victory over Wales at the Wagener Hockey Stadium in Amstelveen on Saturday. The Indian side made an aggressive start and quickly put pressure on the Welsh defence. Sanjay gave India the lead in the eighth minute by converting a penalty corner. Captain Harmanpreet Singh then doubled the advantage three minutes later with a trademark drag-flick. India entered half-time with a 2-0 lead after controlling possession and territory for much of the opening half. 

The experienced skipper struck again in the 43rd minute, completing his brace and giving India a three-goal cushion. Wales continued fighting and eventually pulled one goal back through Sam Welsh in the 56th minute. India, however, held their shape and comfortably saw out the remaining minutes. Goalkeeper Mohith also produced an important save from a Welsh penalty corner during the final quarter. The victory gives India three points from their opening Pool D fixture. The result is an encouraging start for the former champions, who are aiming to end their 51-year wait for a World Cup medal. India will next face England on August 17 before meeting Pakistan on August 19. 

“In our next game, we need to show more”: Harmanpreet Singh identifies areas for improvement after Wales win

India’s men’s hockey team will turn its attention to England after beginning the FIH Hockey World Cup 2026 with a 3-1 victory over Wales. The Pool D win gave the Asian giants three valuable points in Amstelveen. Sanjay opened the scoring before captain Harmanpreet Singh converted two penalty corners. Wales pulled one back late, but India remained composed to secure victory. 

The experienced skipper admitted that India still have areas to improve before their next game. “I think we started very well. I am happy that one of the young players (Sanjay) scored our opening goal. Overall, it was a pretty good game,” Harmanpreet said. He added, “In our next game, we need to show more, create chances and score field goals as well.” India will face England on August 17 before meeting arch-rivals Pakistan two days later. The captain has also stressed defence as a major priority during the tournament. “Our first priority will be defence,” he said, underlining the importance of maintaining a strong defensive structure throughout the campaign.