India will take on higher-ranked England in their second league match of the Hockey World Cup at Amstelveen, with a major milestone in sight — a first World Cup win over England in 32 years.
The 16th edition of the tournament, featuring both men’s and women’s competitions, is being held across Wavre in Belgium and Amstelveen in the Netherlands. Placed in Pool D, India (world No. 8) opened their campaign with a comfortable win over Wales (No. 15).
However, India will look to address concerns from the opener, where the tempo dipped after a fast start. The forward line, including Abhishek and Sukhjeet, struggled to convert chances consistently, while the defence also appeared below its best. Captain Harmanpreet Singh, who scored twice in the first match, and Sanjay, who added a goal, have provided early encouragement, but the team will need a stronger all-round performance.
History adds extra weight to the contest. India last beat England at the World Cup in 1994 (1-0 in the 5th–6th place match in Sydney). England then won three straight World Cup meetings in 2002, 2006 and 2010 by 3-2, followed by a 2-1 win in 2014, while the 2023 meeting ended goalless.
England arrive in form after a 4-1 win over Pakistan in their first league match. They have finished in the top five in five World Cups since 2006 and placed second in the 2025-26 Pro Hockey League, losing only two of 16 matches. India finished eighth in that league, and coach Craig Fulton said his side expects a tougher World Cup battle but is determined to disrupt England’s plans and push for victory. Only the top two teams in each pool advance to the next round.
