India travelled to the Hockey World Cup 2026 with two squads carrying very different burdens, one chasing a first title since 1975, the other hunting a first-ever World Cup medal.
## Men’s squad highlights
Captained by Harmanpreet Singh, India’s defence-heavy lineup includes Jarmanpreet Singh, Amit Rohidas, Jugraj Singh and Yashdeep Siwach. The midfield is anchored by vice-captain Hardik Singh alongside Manpreet Singh, Nilakanta Sharma and Vivek Sagar Prasad. Up front, Dilpreet Singh, Sukhjeet Singh, Mandeep Singh and Abhishek carry the goal-scoring load, Abhishek and Harmanpreet have already combined for four goals in the win over Pakistan, covered in our [match analysis](india-vs-pakistan-hockey-world-cup-2026-match-analysis).
## Women’s squad highlights
Salima Tete leads a midfield-strong women’s squad featuring Nikki Pradhan, Sakshi Rana, Sunelita Toppo, Neha and Deepika Soreng. The forward line includes Lalremsiami, Rutuja Dadaso Pisal, Navneet Kaur, Deepika Sehrawat and Baljeet Kaur, the group behind India’s 6-1 demolition of South Africa, their biggest-ever World Cup win.
## Why this squad shape matters
– India men rely heavily on penalty-corner conversion through Harmanpreet
– The women’s team arrives fresh off an FIH Pro League gold medal
– Both squads play every pool match at Wagener Stadium, Amstelveen
For how far this group can go under the tournament’s new structure, see our guide to the [revised World Cup format](hockey-world-cup-2026-new-format-explained). And if you’re wondering which individuals could swing a knockout match, our feature on the [players who could decide the tournament](hockey-world-cup-2026-players-who-could-decide-tournament) breaks down India’s biggest threats alongside rivals from Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands.
Fans wanting to follow every fixture involving this squad should bookmark our [India schedule guide](hockey-world-cup-2026-india-schedule) for kickoff times in IST.