India defender Ishika Chaudhary, set to make her Women's Hockey World Cup debut, believes her team can spring a surprise, drawing parallels with recent FIFA World Cup upsets. She discusses her journey, overcoming setbacks, and the team's strategy to peak at the right time, guided by senior players and coaches.
Indian hockey fans, including a significant diaspora presence and supporters from abroad, created a vibrant, festive atmosphere in Amstelveen for the World Cup opener against Wales on Independence Day, driven by increased expectations following recent Olympic successes.
For the first time since 1998, no Indian umpire or technical official will be present at the FIH Men's Hockey World Cup, a situation that has left former international officials disappointed and calling for a structured pathway to develop and support Indian officiating talent.
The Indian women's hockey team played to a 2-2 draw against Scotland in their second match of the FIH Hockey World Cup 2026 Qualifiers, maintaining their lead in Pool B.
Kim Lammers scored a dramatic winning goal two minutes from time as Netherlands beat Germany 2-1 in Pool A to reach the semi-finals of the women's hockey World Cup Sunday.
The Aussie beat Spain 1-0 with a golden goal while top-ranked the Netherlands beat Argentina in the semi-finals.
The Indian women's hockey team, having already secured a semifinal spot in the FIH Nations Cup, is set to face lower-ranked Uruguay in their final pool match. India aims to maintain their undefeated record and bolster confidence, especially as winning this tournament is crucial for their return to the elite FIH Pro League after being relegated last season. Coach Sjoerd Marijne hopes for improved field goal conversions and may experiment with combinations ahead of the World Cup and Asian Games.
Chief coach Sjoerd Marijne indicated that the Indian women's hockey team will likely use the upcoming World Cup as preparation for the more crucial Asian Games, which serves as a direct qualifier for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. The team plans to field a consistent core group for both events, scheduled just 20 days apart. Dutch dragflick specialist Taeke Taekema will join the team for both tournaments, and skipper Salima Tete praised Deepika's strong return from injury, highlighting her importance as a dragflicker.
Star goalkeeper Savita Punia returns to the Indian women's hockey team after a 10-month break, while Salima Tete misses the Argentina series due to illness. The tour serves as crucial preparation for upcoming major tournaments.
Rani Rampal's double strike went in vain as India suffered their second consecutive defeat in the women's hockey World Cup, losing 3-6 to Australia in a Pool A match in Rosario, Argentina.
The Indian women's hockey team suffered a 2-0 defeat against the formidable Netherlands in their FIH World Cup Pool E encounter, with goals from Yibbi Jansen and Frederique Matla, both from penalty corners. This loss puts India in a precarious position, requiring a victory against Australia to keep their semi-final aspirations alive.
The Indian women's hockey team concluded their four-match friendly series against Australia with a 2-2 draw, losing the final match 2-3 after initially leading 2-0. Despite the loss, the tour provided valuable preparation for upcoming tournaments, including the FIH Nations Cup and the World Cup.
Former India hockey star Pritam Siwach will watch son Yashdeep make his World Cup debut in the Netherlands, 28 years after her own World Cup appearance.
The Indian women's team put up another brave performance against China to hold the Asian giants to a 1-1 draw in their second pool B match at the FIH Women's Hockey World Cup 2022 in Amstelveen, the Netherlands, on Tuesday.
An uphill task awaits India in this year's women's hockey World Cup in Argentina where they have been clubbed alongside reigning World and Olympic champions the Netherlands and formidable teams like Germany and Australia.
The Indian women's hockey team is set to face Australia in a four-match series in Perth, aiming to build momentum for the upcoming FIH Nations Cup in Auckland.
Indian women's hockey team chief coach Sjoerd Marijne emphasises the importance of discipline for consistent performance in upcoming tournaments, following an impressive outing against Argentina. The team is preparing for the FIH Nation's Cup in New Zealand and the Asian Games.
Hockey India appoints experienced Australian coach Tim White to lead the junior women's hockey team, replacing Tushar Khandekar, with a focus on developing technically sound players for the senior team.
Five young Indian women's hockey players - Ishika, Lalthantluangi, Sakshi Rana, Shilpi Dabas, and Sunelita Toppo - are set to make their World Cup debut, having overcome various challenges and long waits to reach this significant milestone.
India will open their campaign against Canada in the FIH Junior Women's Hockey World Cup
Indian junior women's hockey team head coach Tim White has lauded the growing talent pool in the country's age-group national pathway during his scouting visit to the ongoing India-Australia U-18 exposure series in Bhopal. White emphasised the importance of building a strong connection between the youth tiers and the senior national team, aiming to develop players ready for world-class performance.
The Sports Ministry wants Hockey India to pick its best teams for the Asian Games, sparking debate about managing player burnout with the World Cup also on the horizon.
Salima Tete will lead India's 24-member women's hockey squad for the Argentina tour, with Deepika and Savita returning to the team.
Former India hockey captain Viren Rasquinha has publicly questioned Hockey India's decision to switch the national team's jersey colour to orange, arguing that the team's identity and legacy have always been associated with blue.
'But looking at our current performance, I'm confident that a medal in the World Cup is not far off.'
The Indian women's hockey team will participate in the FIH Hockey Nations Cup in Auckland, New Zealand, from June 15 to 21, following their relegation from the Hockey Pro League.
Indian midfielder Baljeet Kaur expresses confidence in the women's hockey team's chances at the FIH World Cup 2026 Qualifiers, highlighting the team's youth and speed as key assets.
Veteran striker Navneet Kaur believes the Indian women's hockey team is inspired by the cricket team's ODI World Cup triumph and aims to script a similar title-winning story at the FIH Women's World Cup.
Indian women's hockey team chief coach Harendra Singh has resigned from the post with immediate effect citing 'personal reasons'.
The Indian women's hockey team played out a hard-fought 1-1 draw against England in its opening match of the FIH World Cup in Amstelveen, The Netherlands, on Sunday.
The 51-year-old, who was associated with the Indian women's team from 2017 to 2021, will be supported by Matias Vila as analytical coach.
Dutch hockey legend Taeke Taekema believes the Indian women's hockey team possesses the talent to replicate China's remarkable journey to an Olympic silver medal, provided they focus on fundamental skills and secure qualification for the Los Angeles Olympics.
Indian hockey vice-captain Hardik Singh stated that the new orange-coloured jersey for the FIH Men's Hockey World Cup is a 'team strategy' and a 'tactic' to avoid clashes with the blue Astroturf, a decision that has sparked controversy.
Savita Punia's journey from a shy youngster dependent on her mother to a confident veteran goalkeeper and mentor reflects hockey's profound impact on her life.
India's sub-junior men's and women's hockey5s teams commenced their FIH Youth Hockey5s Asian Championship 2026 campaign with impressive victories in Muscat, with the women's team beating Kazakhstan 8-3 and the men's team defeating Bangladesh 7-3. The tournament also serves as the Asian qualifier for the inaugural FIH Youth Hockey5s World Cup.
India's sub-junior men's and women's hockey teams secured impressive victories at the FIH Youth Hockey5s Asian Championship in Muscat, extending their unbeaten runs. The women's team thrashed Kazakhstan 10-0, while the men's team defeated Bangladesh 8-3, showcasing strong performances in the tournament which serves as a World Cup qualifier.
Indian women's hockey team chief coach Harendra Singh has resigned from the post with immediate effect citing 'personal reasons'.
The Indian women's hockey team lost 0-2 to reigning Olympic and world champions Netherlands in their second round match of the FIH World Cup. This defeat means India must now beat Australia in their upcoming match to keep their semifinal hopes alive.
Sjoerd Marijne said past achievements won't guarantee selection in the Indian women's hockey team, highlighting the importance of fighting for a spot and focusing on upcoming World Cup qualifiers.
'Whether they change uniforms or try to rewrite history through education policy, no matter what they do... You have seen what the youth of our country think about this...'
