New Delhi, May 26 (PTI) India will fight for every point in the European leg of the FIH Pro League to fulfil their twin goals of clinching the title and also securing qualification for next year’s World Cup, said men’s hockey team vice-captain Hardik Singh.
The Indian men’s team currently sits third on the points table with 15 points, trailing leaders England and second-placed Belgium, both on 16 points.
The decisive European leg of the Pro League gets underway on June 7, with the tournament winners earning an automatic berth at the 2026 World Cup.
“We have spoken about this within the squad and believe that if we stick to the plan, accumulate enough points, and push for wins –even securing points from draws and subsequent shootouts — we stand a great chance of qualifying for the World Cup through the Pro League,” Hardik said in a Hockey India release.
Currently, Australia, placed No.6 in the ongoing Pro League, have qualified for the World Cup as winners of the previous edition of the Pro League, while Belgium and the Netherlands qualify as hosts.
Germany, currently placed fifth, still have six matches left and can potentially pose a threat to India’s qualification plans.
“Belgium and the Netherlands qualify automatically as co-hosts of the FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup in 2026. That leaves England, who are on top, along with Germany and Spain, as the key competitors vying for qualification.”
India will begin their European leg with back-to-back matches against the Netherlands on June 7 and 9, followed by a double-header against Argentina on June 11 and 12 at the Wagner Stadium in Amstelveen.
The team will then travel to Antwerp to face Australia on June 14 and 15, before concluding their campaign against hosts Belgium on June 21 and 22.
“Our matches against Argentina will also be crucial. This is a good challenge for us to have, and qualifying early would give us more time to prepare for the World Cup,” Hardik added.
The Indian team has been training for the European tour at the centralised training camp in SAI, Bengaluru over the past three weeks.
“The sessions have been nothing short of rigorous,” laughed Hardik, highlighting the hard yards the team has put in, particularly in terms of fitness and conditioning.”
“We have really been put through the grind by the coach and Alan (Scientific Advisor). Our strength and conditioning have been on point, mainly because we want to be at our peak for back-to-back matches.
“We practically have no rest days between games, and even when we do, we’ll be travelling from the Netherlands to Belgium,” he explained.
Adding further significance to the tour is the fact that the Pro League matches will be played at the same venues that will host the World Cup in 2026.
“Every point in these six matches will matter. Another exciting aspect of this campaign is that the matches are being played at the same venues where the World Cup will be held next year.
“This gives us a better understanding of what to expect. We’re treating this like a World Cup simulation, and that makes this outing even more important for our squad,” Hardik signed off.
