Indian Women’s Hockey World Cup 2026: Salima Tete’s Side Aim to Write a New Chapter in Belgium and Netherlands
The Indian women’s hockey team enters the FIH Hockey World Cup Belgium and Netherlands 2026 with a clear objective: to produce a campaign worthy of its history while creating a new chapter for the next generation.
India will begin its World Cup journey against China on August 16, opening a challenging Pool D campaign that also includes South Africa and England. With a combination of experienced campaigners, returning coach Sjoerd Marijne and 11 World Cup debutants, India will look to build on its recent progress and make a deep run in the tournament.
India's best-ever World Cup finish came at the inaugural edition in 1974, when the team finished fourth in France. More than five decades later, the opportunity is once again there to challenge the world's best.
Captain Salima Tete will lead India into her second World Cup, but the squad contains considerably more tournament experience than her own appearances might suggest. Goalkeeper Savita, along with Navneet Kaur, Neha, Nikki Pradhan, Lalremsiami and Sushila, form the experienced core of the team. In fact, India's squad stands out among all 16 participating nations for its depth of senior international experience. Five Indian players have accumulated at least 200 senior international caps.
At the centre of that group is Savita.
With 313 senior appearances, she is the most-capped player among all athletes competing at the Women's World Cup. She is also just seven appearances away from matching Vandana Katariya's Indian record of 320 international caps. Savita, Neha, Nikki Pradhan, Navneet Kaur and Lalremsiami will each be making their third World Cup appearance.
That experience could prove particularly important during the pressure moments of a tournament where India will have little margin for error.
Marijne returns with renewed ambition
Another major factor in India's campaign is the return of Sjoerd Marijne as chief coach. Marijne previously guided India to a historic fourth-place finish at the Tokyo Olympics and returned to the position in January 2026. His return has coincided with a positive period for the team.
India won the FIH Nations Cup 2026, a result that provided momentum ahead of the World Cup while also securing the team's return to the FIH Pro League for the following season. India had earlier secured World Cup qualification after finishing runners-up at the FIH World Cup Qualifiers in Hyderabad.
For Marijne, however, the focus is deliberately narrow.
“I am really looking at it match by match,” he said. “So the focus is on China and winning that match. From there, we move forward. First objective is to finish in top two in our pool and reach the second stage.”
That approach reflects the importance of India's opening fixture.
China first, then South Africa and England
India's Pool D campaign begins against China on August 16, followed by South Africa on August 18. The final pool fixture will be against England on August 20, potentially making it a crucial encounter in determining the final standings. India's immediate target is to finish among the top two in the pool and advance to the second phase.
The tournament format is different from previous editions. There will be no conventional quarterfinal stage. The top two teams from each of the four initial pools will advance to Pools E and F, where the eight leading teams will continue their battle for the semi-finals.
The remaining teams will compete in Pools G and H for classification. The top two teams from Pools E and F will qualify for the semi-finals, meaning India must not only qualify from Pool D but also maintain consistency in the second phase.
One of the defining characteristics of India's squad is the number of players experiencing the World Cup for the first time. There are 11 World Cup debutants, with 18-year-old Sakshi Rana the youngest member of the squad. Nineteen-year-old Sunelita Toppo is another teenager preparing to make her first appearance on the global stage.
They are joined by emerging players including Lalthantluangi, Baljeet Kaur, Beauty Dungdung, Deepika Soreng and Ishika. Their presence gives India a different dimension one that combines the composure of experienced internationals with the energy and fearlessness of players making their first World Cup appearance.
Marijne believes that balance will be crucial.
“You are always searching for the right balance of experienced players and juniors," he said, stressing the role senior players can play in helping younger teammates understand the pressure of World Cup hockey.
Among India's most important attacking players will be Deepika, who arrives at the World Cup with confidence after finishing among the joint top scorers at the FIH Nations Cup. Her ability as a forward and drag-flicker gives India an important weapon, particularly in penalty-corner situations.
India will need that attacking efficiency against opponents capable of defending in numbers and punishing mistakes on the counter. The combination of Deepika's attacking threat, Savita's experience in goal and Salima Tete's leadership could become central to India's campaign.
India enter the World Cup with no shortage of experience, but this is also a squad looking towards the future. The senior players understand the demands of international tournament hockey. The debutants represent the next generation of Indian women's hockey.
The challenge is to combine those two elements at the right time. India's fourth-place finish in 1974 remains the country's best result at the Women's World Cup. More than 50 years later, the current team has an opportunity to change that narrative.
The road begins against China. For Salima Tete, Savita, Deepika and the 11 debutants, the objective is not simply to participate in another World Cup.
It is to make the most of an opportunity, survive a demanding new format and, ultimately, write a chapter that Indian women's hockey can remember for years to come.
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