Hockey India announced a 20-member squad for the upcoming World Cup on Tuesday. Harmanpreet will captain the Indian side at the FIH World Cup 2026, scheduled to be held in Belgium and the Netherlands from August 15 to 30. India have been drawn in Pool D for the FIH Hockey World Cup alongside England, Pakistan and Wales.
Team India will play all their group stage matches at the Wagener Hockey Stadium in Amstelveen, the Netherlands. They will start their campaign against Wales on August 15 before taking on England on August 17. The highly-anticipated India vs Pakistan match between the arch-rivals will take place on August 19. The top two teams from each of the four groups will progress to the next round.
Chief coach Craig Fulton felt that the balance of the side was perfect and backed the squad to challenge the world's best. "We have selected a well-balanced squad - the right mix of tournament experience and in-form youth who've earned their spot through performance, not reputation," Fulton said.
"Press, counter, perform isn't just our tactical identity - it's how this group trains and thinks together every single day. We are not getting ahead of ourselves - one game at a time, all in, is the mentality we're taking into every match," he added.
India's FIH Hockey Men's World Cup 2026 squad
Goalkeepers: Mohith HS, Suraj Karkera
Defenders: Harmanpreet Singh (captain), Jarmanpreet Singh, Amit Rohidas, Jugraj Singh, Sanjay, Sumit, Yashdeep Siwach
Midfielders: Rajinder Singh, Aditya Arjun Lalage, Hardik Singh, Manpreet Singh, Nilakanta Sharma, Vivek Sagar Prasad
Forwards: Dilpreet Singh, Shilanand Lakra, Sukhjeet Singh, Mandeep Singh, Abhishek
The Indian squad for the 2026 Hockey World Cup has a blend of seasoned campaigners and exciting young talents, with veteran midfielder Manpreet Singh who is India's most-capped player adding invaluable experience to the team.
Indian coach Fulton who led the side to wins over Belgium and Netherlands last month is excited about his team’s prospects of winning another title."Fifty years since our 1975 World Cup triumph, this group has a chance to write its own chapter in Indian hockey history, and we are really excited about it," he said.
Notably, Pakistan are the most successful team in Men’s Hockey World Cup history with four titles. On the other hand, India’s only victory came in 1975 World Cup.
