Who will India face in the seventh-place match at Men’s Hockey World Cup 2026?
(Courtesy : Hockey India)
India ended the second round with zero wins, and finished last in Pool E
India’s men’s hockey team’s campaign at the FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup 2026 came to a disappointing end on Monday. The first blow came against the Netherlands, who beat India 3-1 in Amstelveen.
Craig Fulton’s side had actually held their own through the opening half, keeping the scoreline level, but the final quarter turned disastrous as the team conceded two goals.
That left India needing something close to a miracle against Argentina as they needed a big-margin win, paired with hope that Netherlands would beat England in one-sided fashion. Instead, the Indian team folded further.
Argentina ran riot, winning 5-3 to end all Indian semi-final qualification hopes. After the end of the second round, India were the only side that failed to open their account in the points table.
Related: India eliminated from semi-final race after crushing defeat to Argentina
Who will India face in the seventh-place match at Men’s Hockey World Cup 2026?
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India will hope to return from Amsterdam with some consolation by finishing as high as possible in the World Cup. Harmanpreet Singh-led side will next be in action in the seven-eighth place playoff match on July 28 (Friday).
The Indian men’s hockey team will face Belgium, who finished at the bottom of Pool F in the second round.
Belgium, champions in 2018, also failed to win a match in their pool in the second round. But unlike India, they did finish with points on the board, thanks to their draws against Spain and Australia. What undid those performances was the 0-1 defeat to Germany in the first round that got carried over.
A win over Spain in their final Pool F fixture could have kept Belgium in the hunt for the semi-finals, but a 1-1 draw instead led to their elimination.
India will need to produce a solid performance against Belgium if they are to secure the seventh position. The Men in Saffron lead the head-to-head against Belgium in World Cup matches by 2-1 but have managed to defeat them only once in their last five meetings in all competitions.
Related: FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup 2026 Points Table Round 2
Final Pool E Standings
| Position | Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Netherlands (Q) | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 7 |
| 2 | Argentina (Q) | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 7 | 2 | 6 |
| 3 | England (E) | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 4 |
| 4 | India (E) | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 12 | -6 | 0 |
Final Pool F Standings
| Position | Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Germany (Q) | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 6 |
| 2 | Spain (Q) | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 4 |
| 3 | Australia (E) | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 5 | -1 | 4 |
| 4 | Belgium (E) | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | -1 | 2 |
What is India’s final position in Pool E at the FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup 2026?
India finished at the bottom of Pool E, with 0 points after failing to win a single match.
When will Indian men’s hockey team be in action next at the Men’s Hockey World Cup 2026?
India will next be in action in the seventh-eighth place playoff match.
Who will India face in the 7th-8th place playoff match at the FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup 2026?
India will face Belgium, who finished bottom of Pool F, in the playoff match on August 28 (Friday). The India vs Belgium match is scheduled to begin at 9:45 pm IST.
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Aniruddh Seshadri Iyer is a passionate sports journalist at Khel Now, specializing in tennis and Olympic sports. An engineer by training, he found his storytelling passion through iconic Grand Slam and Olympic moments. Known for sharp analysis and insightful coverage, he draws inspiration from Novak Djokovic’s resilience. Outside journalism, he enjoys reading, traveling, and playing the guitar.