The Indian men’s Hockey Team (Image: IANS) The Indian men’s hockey team have advanced to the second round of the FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup 2026 after finishing second in Pool D. Under the tournament’s revamped format, India have been placed in Pool E alongside England, the Netherlands and Argentina. Since India have already faced England in the opening phase, they will play only the Netherlands and Argentina in the crossover pool.India’s performances in these two matches will determine whether they progress to the semifinals.
India’s crossover pool schedule
MatchDateTime (IST)VenueIndia vs NetherlandsSaturday, August 22, 20267:30 PMWagener Stadium, AmstelveenIndia vs ArgentinaMonday, August 24, 20266:15 PMWagener Stadium, Amstelveen
Top two advance to semifinals
India will need to finish among the top two teams in Pool E to secure a place in the semifinals. The 2026 edition has introduced a major change to the World Cup format, with the traditional quarterfinal stage removed. Instead, teams finishing in the relevant positions in the opening pools move into crossover pools, where they compete for semifinal spots.India’s first challenge will be against the Netherlands on Saturday. The hosts are among the tournament favourites and will provide a major test for the Indian side. India will then face Argentina on Monday in what could prove to be a crucial encounter in the race for the top two positions.Pool E standings before second roundTeamMatchesWonDrawnLostGoals ScoredGoals AgainstGoal DifferencePointsEngland110042+23Netherlands110031+23India100124-20Argentina100113-20
Where to watch India’s matches
Indian fans can watch the Hockey World Cup matches live on the Star Sports Network, while the games will also be available for streaming on JioHotstar.