New Delhi, July 4, 2026: The Indian Men’s Hockey Team concluded the FIH Hockey Pro League 2025–26 on a high, registering confidence-boosting victories over the reigning World Champions Germany and the 2024 Paris Olympics gold medallists, the Netherlands, while taking the fight against world No. 3 England down the wire. More importantly, the performances reflected a side that gathered momentum with every phase of the tournament, building valuable confidence ahead of the World Cup and the Asian Games.
This upward trajectory was built over the course of three distinct phases.
India endured a difficult start to the Pro League during the home leg in Rourkela, where they suffered defeats against Belgium and Argentina. The squad knew they had concerns to address to compete consistently with the world’s best teams.
Signs of improvement emerged during the Hobart leg. After opening with a 0-2 defeat to Spain, India bounced back to hold hosts Australia to a 2-2 draw. That followed a 1-1 draw against Spain. However, the shootout in both those matches went in the favour of the opposition. The squad regrouped well in the concluding fixture, winning the shootout 3-1 after a fiercely-contested 1-1 draw against Australia.
The biggest takeaway from Hobart was the improvement in defence. India conceded just six goals across four matches – three from penalty corners and three field goals – while continuing to show improvement in attack with two field goals and two penalty-corner conversions.
By the time the Pro League reached Europe in June, the upward curve was evident.
In Rotterdam, India produced two of their finest results of the campaign, defeating Germany 3-1 and the Netherlands 3-2. Against two of the strongest defensive units in international hockey, India scored nine goals across four matches, with five coming from field play and four from penalty corners. These numbers highlighted an important shift in India’s attacking approach, with the side no longer relying solely on its penalty-corner prowess but was consistently creating and converting chances from open play.
The momentum continued in London, where India remained unbeaten in regulation time in all four matches against Pakistan and England.
The team registered twin victories over Pakistan, including a commanding 7-1 win, while holding England to draws in both meetings, earning one shootout victory. India’s defence also stood up, conceding just six goals across the four matches, with only one coming from field play. The goals-scored column from the London leg showed an impressive 13 strikes – seven from field play, five from penalty corners and one from a penalty stroke, underlining the team’s growing versatility in front of goal.
India’s improved attacking play also reflected in the spread of goalscorers throughout the European campaign. Dilpreet Singh and Jugraj Singh finished as India’s joint-highest scorers with four goals each, while Abhishek, Sukhjeet Singh and Nilakanta Sharma contributed three goals apiece. The spread of goals across the squad highlighted a more balanced attacking unit, with multiple players stepping up in crucial moments rather than the team depending on one or two individuals.
“One of the biggest takeaways from this Pro League run has been watching the team’s confidence grow,” said India’s Chief Coach, Craig Fulton, while analysing the team’s performance. “Wins over Germany and the Netherlands, plus a strong showing against England, prove that when we stick to our game plan, we’re capable of matching and beating anyone in the world. It’s a solid stepping stone heading into the World Cup and Asian Games, but we are still focused on tightening up our performance and staying consistent from quarter to quarter.”
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