HYDERABAD, INDIA: The Indian women’s hockey team qualified for the FIH World Cup 2026 after defeating Wales 4-1 in their final Pool B match of the ongoing qualifiers at the Gachibowli Hockey Stadium in the city on Wednesday, March 11. With this win, India also made it to the semifinals of the tournament, where they will play Italy on March 13.
The top three teams from these qualifiers will make it to the World Cup, along with the fourth-highest-ranked side. With this victory over Wales, India ensured that they will be among the top four-ranked sides in this tournament. On Wednesday, Navneet Kaur was the star for the Indians, scoring a hat-trick and helping her side completely decimate their opponents.
The 30-year-old converted two penalty corners (29′, 34′) and a penalty (55′), showcasing her wide range of skills. Navneet Kaur’s ability to dragflick with confidence, as well as dribble past her opponents, was well noticed by the Indian supporters, who thronged to the stadium in huge numbers. The graceful Kaur also took some time out to address the media after the game.
“Our first goal was to qualify for the World Cup, and we have achieved that. But, we must remember that the tournament [FIH World Cup Qualifiers 2026] is left, and we have to continue playing well. Of course, regarding qualifying after winning, it is a different experience. I feel good, but it’s a team effort; I can’t do much without the team. If no one creates a penalty corner, we can’t score from it. So, this award is for the team,” said Navneet Kaur.
“Some players already knew that we had qualified” – Navneet Kaur
When asked if she already knew that India had qualified for the main draw of the FIH Hockey World Cup 2026 (after Scotland beat Uruguay 3-1 and paved the way for the hosts), Navneet Kaur replied in the affirmative. However, the Western Railway employee mentioned that qualifying on merit seemed much sweeter, since it meant that India had earned their spot.
“Yes, because of the last match, we thought that if we win, we will qualify for the World Cup. But we also knew that now we had to score and qualify in this match. Some players already knew that we had qualified, but we were very happy that we played well and qualified after the match. But now, the rest of the tournament is left, and that is also on our mind,” said Navneet Kaur.
India ended the group stage of the tournament with 7 points to their name after wins against Wales and Uruguay, and a draw with Scotland. The home team have been drawn against Italy in the second semifinal of the tournament, which is slated for a 7:30 PM pushback on Friday, March 13, at the same venue in Hyderabad.
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