The Indian men’s hockey team will look to end its FIH Hockey World Cup 2026 campaign on a winning note when it takes on co-hosts Belgium in the seventh-place classification match on today.
India missed out on a place in the semi-finals after finishing at the bottom of Pool E in the second stage. They suffered defeats against the Netherlands (1-3) and Argentina (3-5), and will now aim to finish their campaign on a positive note ahead of next month’s Asian Games in Japan.
Belgium, too, will be eager to end its home World Cup campaign with a victory. The Red Lions finished at the bottom of Pool F after drawing 1-1 against Australia and Spain.
Playing in front of their home supporters in Wavre is expected to add further motivation for the Belgians, making the contest a challenging one for India.
For India, the immediate task will be to regain rhythm and confidence after a disappointing second-stage outing. The team has shown attacking intent and the ability to create chances, but greater consistency across all four quarters will be crucial against a determined Belgian side.
The connections between defence, midfield and attack will also come under focus. India will need to build attacks with greater purpose from the back, improve the quality of supply from midfield and ensure their forwards make the most of opportunities inside the circle.
Captain Harmanpreet Singh and India’s penalty-corner unit remain key weapons, but the team will also be looking for greater productivity from open play. Sustained pressure inside the Belgian circle and better conversion of circle entries into clear goal-scoring chances could prove decisive.
Belgium’s ability to exploit turnovers and attack in transition will pose another threat. India will need to maintain their defensive structure, avoid cheap possession losses in dangerous areas and rely on the midfield to control the tempo.
Chief coach Craig Fulton said the classification match gives India an opportunity to finish the tournament strongly.
“It’s a great opportunity to finish the tournament as high as we can. We have unfinished business in the tournament and we would like to put in a good performance that we could be proud of,” Fulton said.
On Belgium’s style, the coach added: “The Belgium team has a very specific way of playing. We have played them quite a bit. They have some key players who make their structure work, so we have to be very organised and very good on the ball.”
A victory would earn India a seventh-place finish, but more importantly, it would provide a much-needed confidence boost before the Asian Games.
With the continental showpiece in Japan coming soon after the World Cup, India will also look to carry forward the lessons from Belgium and address the shortcomings that proved costly during the second stage.
(Inputs from Hockey India)
