Archive · 15 Aug 2026
Harmanpreet Singh: India Believe We Can Win Hockey World Cup
The captain of India's men's hockey team talked about a big tournament called the Hockey World Cup.
India has not won this trophy for 51 years.
The captain said the team believes it can finally win it.
He said the players are ready to work hard and give their best.
He said playing good defence is the team's first priority.
If the team defends well, it will get chances to score goals.
The team has practised different ways to defend, like full press and half court.
Some senior players are playing in their fourth World Cup.
India will first play Wales, and then England and Pakistan.
The captain said players must stay calm and focused for 60 minutes.
India begin their FIH Hockey World Cup 2026 campaign against Wales keen to end a 51-year wait for the trophy.
Captain Harmanpreet Singh said the team believes it 'can definitely do this' and wants to bring the trophy home.
Singh said defence is the team's first priority across full press, half court and low press structures.
India's Pool D opponents are Wales, England and Pakistan, with Singh warning there are 'no easy opponents'.
The captain urged players to stay calm, keep emotions under control and ignore external factors ahead of the Pakistan fixture.
- Who
- Indian men's hockey team captain Harmanpreet Singh, senior players Manpreet Singh and Mandeep Singh, and opponents Wales, England and Pakistan.
- What
- India begin their FIH Hockey World Cup 2026 campaign aiming to end a 51-year wait for the World Cup trophy.
- When
- The campaign began with India's opening match against Wales, with the comments made ahead of that fixture.
- Where
- The tournament venue is not stated in the article.
- Why
- The team wants to win a medal and bring the trophy home, motivated by back-to-back Olympic medals in Tokyo and Paris.
- Captain
- Harmanpreet Singh
- Tournament
- FIH Hockey World Cup 2026
- India's wait for World Cup title
- 51 years
- India's Pool D opponents
- Wales, England, Pakistan
- Opening match
- India vs Wales
- Team's first priority
- Defence
- World Cup experience
- Third World Cup for Harmanpreet Singh; fourth for Manpreet Singh and Mandeep Singh
- Motivation
- Back-to-back Olympic medals in Tokyo and Paris