New Delhi: The Indian women’s hockey team departed for Europe on Wednesday to begin the final leg of its preparations for the FIH Hockey World Cup Belgium and the Netherlands 2026, with two practice matches against Germany scheduled before the tournament gets underway next month.
The squad travelled from Bengaluru to Mumbai before boarding its flight to Frankfurt, where it will train and play back-to-back friendlies against the hosts on July 31 and August 1. The matches are expected to help the team settle into European conditions and fine-tune combinations ahead of the World Cup.
After concluding its training camp in Germany, India will travel to Amsterdam on August 2 to complete its build-up before the competition begins.
India has been drawn in Pool D and will open its campaign against China on August 16. The team will then face South Africa and England in the remaining group-stage fixtures as it looks to secure a place in the knockout rounds.
Captain Salima Tete said the squad was confident after an encouraging training block and was eager to carry that momentum into the World Cup.
“The entire squad is looking forward to the challenge ahead. We’ve had a good training block, and now it’s about carrying that momentum into the practice matches and then the World Cup. Facing China in our opening game will be an important test, and we want to start the tournament on a positive note. As a team, we are determined to give our best and make the country proud,” Salima said.
The Indian team heads into the marquee event after months of preparation and views the training stint in Germany as an important opportunity to sharpen its game before taking on some of the world’s best teams in Belgium and the Netherlands.
The 2026 FIH Hockey World Cup will be held from August 15 to 30, with India aiming to make a strong impression on the global stage.
(IANS)
