Hockey World Cup 2026: India Schedule, Teams, Format & Live Streaming

Hockey World Cup 2026 is set to begin on August 15, with the men’s and women’s tournaments bringing together 32 teams across two competitions in Belgium and the Netherlands. The 16th edition of the quadrennial event will run until August 30, with matches being played at the Belfius Hockey Arena in Wavre and the Wagener Hockey Stadium in Amstelveen.

India will have representation in both the men’s and women’s tournaments. The Indian men’s team has been placed in Pool D alongside England, Pakistan and Wales, while the women’s side will compete in Pool D against China, England and South Africa.

The tournament is particularly intriguing because the traditional quarterfinal stage has been replaced by a second crossover pool phase. That means finishing among the top two in the opening group is only the first step towards the title.

For India, the new structure makes every early match important. The men face Wales, England and Pakistan in their opening phase, while the women take on China, South Africa and England. The results from the first phase will also carry forward into the second pool stage, increasing the importance of every point.

Hockey World Cup 2026: Tournament at a glance

Which teams are playing in the Hockey World Cup 2026?

The men’s and women’s competitions each feature 16 teams. They are divided into four pools of four teams, creating a total of eight opening groups across the two tournaments.

Men’s Hockey World Cup pools

• Pool A: Argentina, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand
• Pool B: Belgium, France, Germany, Malaysia
• Pool C: Australia, Spain, Ireland, South Africa
• Pool D: England, India, Pakistan, Wales

India’s men’s team faces a challenging group, particularly because it contains two familiar rivals in England and Pakistan. Wales will provide India’s opening test before the side faces England and then Pakistan.

Women’s Hockey World Cup pools

• Pool A: Australia, Chile, Japan, Netherlands
• Pool B: Argentina, Germany, Scotland, United States
• Pool C: Belgium, Spain, Ireland, New Zealand
• Pool D: China, England, India, South Africa

India’s women’s team also has a competitive group. China will provide the opening challenge before India meets South Africa and England.

What is the Hockey World Cup 2026 format?

The biggest talking point of the tournament is the revised competition structure. Instead of moving directly from the first pool stage into traditional quarterfinals, the tournament introduces a second crossover pool phase.

This makes qualification more complex and potentially more demanding because teams must maintain consistency beyond their opening three matches.

Phase 1: First pool stage

The 16 teams in each competition are divided into four pools of four. Every team plays three round-robin matches against the other teams in its group.

The top two teams from each pool advance to the second pool stage, while the bottom two teams enter the classification stage.

This creates an immediate incentive to finish as high as possible. A team that performs poorly in its opening matches can lose the opportunity to compete for the title even before the knockout rounds arrive.

Phase 2: Crossover pool stage

The eight teams that finish in the top two positions in their respective first-stage pools are placed into two new pools, Pool E and Pool F.

The teams then face opponents from another first-stage pool. Crucially, teams that were originally in the same pool do not meet again during this phase.

Another important feature is that results and points from the first phase carry forward. This means a strong opening campaign can provide an advantage in the second stage, while a poor result can remain costly later in the tournament.

The top two teams from Pools E and F then advance to the semifinals.

Classification stage

The teams finishing third and fourth in the original pools do not immediately leave the tournament. They move into two additional pools, G and H, where they compete for positions ninth through 16th.

This ensures that every participating team continues to play meaningful matches rather than ending its campaign after the opening stage.

Phase 3: Knockout stage

The final stage returns to a familiar knockout structure. Four teams will reach the semifinals, with the winners progressing to the gold-medal match.

The two losing semifinalists will meet in the bronze-medal match.

Why the new format makes the opening matches more important

The revised structure changes the traditional approach to group-stage hockey. Teams cannot simply aim to qualify and then start again from zero.

Because results from the first phase carry into the second pool stage, every victory, draw and defeat can influence the path to the semifinals.

For India, this makes the opening matches against Wales, England and Pakistan particularly significant. The team will need to balance attacking ambition with the need to collect points consistently.

The format could also reward teams that peak early. A side entering the second phase with strong results may have a better platform than a team that barely qualifies.

India men’s Hockey World Cup 2026 schedule

India’s men’s campaign begins against Wales on August 15. The team then faces England before meeting Pakistan on August 19 in one of the most anticipated matches of the opening pool stage.

The schedule gives the Indian side little room for complacency. England provides a major challenge before the Pakistan match adds another layer of pressure because of the history and rivalry between the two nations.

India women’s Hockey World Cup 2026 schedule

The Indian women’s team begins its campaign against China on August 16. South Africa will be the second opponent before India closes its opening pool campaign against England on August 20.

With only three matches in the first phase, consistency will be crucial. India cannot afford to treat any fixture as a low-priority game because the points and results from this stage can influence the next phase.

India vs England: Why the fixtures matter

England appears in both India’s men’s and women’s pools, creating an unusual connection between the two competitions.

For the men’s team, the England match arrives immediately after the opening game against Wales. For the women’s side, England is the final opponent of the first pool stage.

These matches could be especially important because England is expected to provide a strong test of India’s ability to compete against a high-level international opponent.

The new tournament format means such matches should not be viewed merely as opportunities to qualify. Results can shape the next stage and influence the route towards the semifinals.

India vs Pakistan: The men’s tournament’s headline fixture

The India-Pakistan men’s match is scheduled for August 19 and is likely to attract significant attention from hockey fans in both countries.

Beyond the sporting rivalry, the match carries practical importance because it is part of the first pool stage. India will need to approach it as a competition fixture rather than allowing the surrounding attention to dominate its preparation.

In a format where first-stage results can carry forward, a strong performance against a major rival could provide an important boost heading into the crossover pool stage.

Where to watch Hockey World Cup 2026 in India?

Fans in India can follow the Hockey World Cup 2026 through television and online streaming platforms.

• TV broadcast in India: Star Sports
• Online streaming in India: JioHotstar
• Global coverage: Watch Hockey, subject to regional broadcast restrictions

Indian viewers will therefore have both television and digital options for following the men’s and women’s tournaments.

What makes the 2026 Hockey World Cup different?

The biggest difference is not the number of teams but the route teams must take to reach the semifinals.

The introduction of a second pool stage removes the traditional direct jump from the opening group phase to the quarterfinals. This can make the competition more strategic because teams must think beyond their immediate opponent.

A team could potentially qualify from the first phase but still face a difficult path to the semifinals. Conversely, a strong first-stage performance can provide valuable momentum and carry-over points.

This makes tactical consistency especially important. Teams will need to manage their squads carefully while ensuring they collect enough points to remain in contention through multiple stages.

What India needs to do to reach the semifinals

India’s primary objective in the opening phase will be to finish among the top two teams in Pool D. But qualification alone will not guarantee an easy route forward.

The team will need to maximise points while also maintaining strong performances against England and Pakistan. The results from the first phase can influence the second-stage standings, making every match part of a larger tournament strategy.

For India’s men’s team, the opening game against Wales offers an opportunity to establish momentum. The following fixtures against England and Pakistan could then determine how strongly India enters the crossover pool stage.

The women’s team faces a similar challenge against China, South Africa and England. A consistent start could put India in a strong position before the tournament becomes more intense.

Hockey World Cup 2026: Key things to remember

• Dates: August 15 to August 30, 2026.
• Hosts: Belgium and the Netherlands.
• Teams: 16 men’s and 16 women’s teams.
• India men: England, Pakistan and Wales in Pool D.
• India women: China, England and South Africa in Pool D.
• New format: The quarterfinal stage has been replaced by a crossover pool phase.
• Semifinal qualification: The top two teams from Pools E and F advance.
• India men’s opener: Wales on August 15.
• India women’s opener: China on August 16.
• Indian broadcast: Star Sports and JioHotstar.

Conclusion

The Hockey World Cup 2026 promises to be a significant tournament for both Indian teams, not only because of the quality of opposition but also because of the competition’s revised structure.

India’s men have a demanding Pool D featuring England, Pakistan and Wales, while the women’s team will face China, South Africa and England. With results carrying forward into the second pool phase, the importance of the opening matches will be greater than ever.

The tournament begins on August 15 and runs until August 30 across Belgium and the Netherlands. For India, the immediate objective is clear: start strongly, collect crucial points and build a platform for the crossover stage.

The new format could make the road to the semifinals more complicated, but it also creates more opportunities for teams to prove their consistency. For Indian Hockey fans, that means almost every match could have consequences well beyond the final whistle.