India face England in crucial Hockey World Cup Pool D clash

India will face England in a pivotal FIH Men's Hockey World Cup pool stage match on Monday in Amstelveen, aiming to end a 32-year jinx against their European rivals. The Hindustan Times reports that India's last World Cup victory over England came in the fifth-sixth-place match in Sydney in 1994. The teams drew 0-0 in their most recent World Cup meeting in 2023.

India opened their campaign with a 3-1 win over Wales, with captain Harmanpreet Singh scoring two penalty corners and Sanjay adding another from a set piece. England began with an impressive 4-1 victory over Pakistan. The result is particularly important under the new format, as the top two teams from each pool advance to the second stage, and results against teams already played are carried forward, which could prove decisive for semifinal qualification.

India will need to improve their open-play finishing after relying heavily on set pieces against Wales. England come into the tournament with strong recent form, losing only two of 16 matches in the 2025-26 Pro League to finish runners-up. Harmanpreet said the team is focused on the World Cup and taking it match by match. India also face Pakistan on August 19.