India vs Belgium Highlights, Men's Hockey World Cup 2026: India lose penalty shootout to Belgium, finish 8th
(Courtesy :Â Hockey India)
India looks to end their campaign on a winning note
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9:30 PM: Hello and welcome to Khel Now’s live coverage of the India vs Belgium 7/8th playoff match at the FIH Hockey World Cup 2026. Please wait for the blog to load!
The Indian men’s hockey team face co-hosts Belgium in the 7th-8th place classification match in Wavre and would be looking to end their World Cup campaign on a winning note after a disappointing run in the second stage.
There’s no getting around it and everyone knows that this hasn’t been the tournament India wanted. Harmanpreet Singh’s side finished bottom of Pool E after losses to the Netherlands (1-3) and Argentina (3-5), and with the semi-finals now out of reach, this match is about pride, momentum and finishing the job.
Belgium find themselves in a similar boat. The co-hosts also missed out on the semi-finals, finishing bottom of Pool F after 1-1 draws with both Australia and Spain.
Playing in front of a passionate home crowd in Wavre will give them an extra push, and that’s exactly the kind of atmosphere that could make life difficult for India.
For India, the priority is simple—rediscover their mojo before the Asian Games. The attacking intent has been there in patches, but converting that intent into consistency across all four quarters is where the team has come up short.
Captain Harmanpreet Singh and India’s penalty-corner unit will once again carry a big share of the goal-scoring burden, but the team knows it needs more from open play too.
Stay tuned for updates as the action gets underway.
Where and when will India vs Belgium 7/8th playoff match take place at Men’s Hockey World Cup 2026?
The playoff match for 7th-8th place will be played at the Belfius Hockey Arena in Wavre on August 28 (Friday). The match will begin at 9:45 pm IST.
What is the India vs Belgium head-to-head record in Men’s Hockey World Cup?
India and Belgium have met four times in the World Cup, with India winning two and another match ending in a draw. Belgium won the other clash.
How has India performed so far at Men’s Hockey World Cup 2026?
India have endured a disastrous campaign in the World Cup, finishing bottom of their pool in the second round and failing to reach the semi-finals. They have won just two of their five matches.
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