India will look to cap an impressive Hockey World Cup campaign with a historic finish when it faces Germany in the fifth-sixth place classification match in Amstelveen on Thursday. The match begins at 6:30pm IST.
A victory would give India its best finish at the Women’s World Cup since its fourth-place showing at the inaugural edition in 1974. India has appeared at the World Cup nine times, with its next-best finishes coming in 1978 and 2018, when it finished seventh and eighth respectively.
Germany, ranked fifth in the world, will provide a stern test. India has won only one of its last five official meetings with the Germans, although that victory came in their most recent encounter.
The last five meetings between India and Germany:
22 February 2025: India 1-0 Germany
2024-25 FIH Hockey Pro League
21 February 2025: India 0-4 Germany
2024-25 FIH Hockey Pro League
8 June 2024: India 2-4 Germany
2023-24 FIH Hockey Pro League
1 June 2024: Germany 3-1 India
2023-24 FIH Hockey Pro League
18 January 2024: Germany 2-2 India, Germany won 4-3 in shootout
FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers, Ranchi
India enters Thursday’s contest having lost only once in the tournament, a 2-0 defeat to defending champion Netherlands. It held China, England and Australia to draws and recorded its biggest-ever World Cup win, a 6-1 victory over South Africa.
There is an added subplot, with Germany coached by Janneke Schopman, who previously coached India and knows several players in the current squad.
Published on Aug 27, 2026
