India’s men have not lifted the Hockey World Cup since 1975. Fifty-one years later, the 2026 edition has given Harmanpreet Singh’s side a genuine route back to the final, but it’s a route with very little margin for error.
## Step one: survive the pool stage
Done. India finished second in Pool D behind England, having beaten Wales 3-1 and, most importantly, Pakistan 5-3 in a match that eliminated their oldest rivals. That result is broken down in full in our [match analysis](india-vs-pakistan-hockey-world-cup-2026-match-analysis).
## Step two: the crossover pools
This is where India’s campaign will actually be decided. Under the tournament’s new format, explained fully in our [format guide](hockey-world-cup-2026-new-format-explained), India now enters a crossover pool with results against previously-faced opponents carried forward. Finishing among the top two in this group sends India straight to the semifinals; anything lower means a longer route through classification matches.
## Step three: the semifinal and final
Should India reach the final four, they would face the winner of the parallel crossover pool. The men’s final is scheduled for August 30 at the tournament’s host venues in Amstelveen or Wavre.
## What India have going for them
– Harmanpreet Singh and Abhishek combined for four goals against Pakistan
– Vice-captain Hardik Singh scored his maiden World Cup goal in that match
– India remain unbeaten against Pakistan in major tournaments since 2016
## What could derail it
Discipline. India played the closing stages against Pakistan a man down after a yellow card, a reminder of how thin the margins are in the crossover stage. For our full staff predictions on how far this run goes, see [medal predictions](hockey-world-cup-2026-medal-predictions), and track every result live via our [complete schedule and results](hockey-world-cup-2026-complete-schedule-results) hub.