India women’s national field hockey team will tour Australia later this month in a major preparatory assignment ahead of the upcoming FIH Hockey Women’s Nations Cup.
The tour, scheduled from May 21 to June 3, will see the Indian side play four matches against Australia women’s national field hockey team at the Perth Hockey Stadium. The exposure series is expected to play a key role in helping the team fine-tune combinations before one of their most important tournaments of the year.
The FIH Hockey Women’s Nations Cup will take place in Auckland, New Zealand, from June 15 to 21 and serves as a pathway to qualification for the elite FIH Pro League.
Four Matches Scheduled in Perth
According to Hockey India’s announced schedule, the Indian team will play matches on May 26, 27, 29, and 30.
The first two fixtures are slated to begin at 5 PM IST, while the final two matches will start at 11 AM IST. All games will be hosted at the Perth Hockey Stadium.
Following the Australia leg, the team will travel to New Zealand for further practice matches and acclimatisation ahead of the Nations Cup campaign.
Nations Cup Carries Huge Importance
The upcoming Nations Cup carries significant weight for the Indian women’s team after relegation from the FIH Pro League last year.
Winning the tournament would secure direct qualification back into the Pro League, making the competition one of India’s biggest international targets this season.
The squad enters the tour after showing encouraging signs during their recent Argentina assignment, where they managed two wins in four matches. Team management is expected to use the Australia series to evaluate tactical flexibility, defensive structure, and penalty-corner efficiency against top-level opposition.
Intensive Training Camp Underway
Before departing for Australia, the players are currently attending the Senior Women’s National Coaching Camp organised by Hockey India in Bengaluru.
The camp is focused on sharpening fitness, match readiness, and technical execution ahead of a packed international calendar that also includes the 2026 Women’s Hockey World Cup and the Asian Games later this year.
Reports also suggest that the team’s drag-flickers will receive specialised training support during the tour, including sessions under Dutch drag-flicking legend Taeke Taekema.
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