India advanced to the second round of the ongoing FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup 2026 after beating arch-rival Pakistan 5-3 in their final Pool-D fixture on Wednesday. The Harmanpreet Singh-led team finished second in the pool and booked its spot in the next stage of the tournament.
Who will India play in the second round of FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup 2026?
As per the new format of the World Cup, the eight teams which progress into the second stage will be split into two groups of four. The top two teams from those will then progress into the semifinals.
The top two teams of Pool D — India’s pool — will be grouped in Pool E with the top two teams from Pool A.
Pool A consists of the Netherlands, Argentina, New Zealand, and Japan. The Dutch have confirmed its berth in the second round, so India is certainly meeting the three-time champion.
What remains to be seen is whether Argentina or New Zealand complete Pool E. Both sides are on three points and face each other later in the day.
Argentina is currently second but if New Zealand wins by two goals or more, the Kiwis will advance.
Published on Aug 19, 2026
