# Savita Punia backs India to challenge top teams at Hockey World Cup 2026-08-13T12:59:38+00:00 | Sports | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 3 independent outlets Goalkeeper Savita Punia says India are confident of matching the world’s best at the FIH Women’s Hockey World Cup, which runs from August 14 to 30 in Belgium and the Netherlands. India won the FIH Nations Cup in June, beating hosts New Zealand 2-0 in the final. The team, led by captain Salima Tete, is placed in Pool D with China, England and South Africa and will open against China on August 16 at Amstelveen. India’s best World Cup finish was fourth in 1974. In the last two editions, they finished eighth and ninth. Savita, playing her third World Cup, said the Nations Cup victory and close Pro League matches against sides like Argentina and the Netherlands have lifted morale. Eleven of the 20 players in the squad are World Cup debutants, the National Herald reports. ## Coverage - indiatvnews.com - hindustantimes.com - nationalheraldindia.com Tags: fih world cup, India hockey, Nations Cup, Salima Tete, Savita Punia, women's hockey Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/savita-punia-sure-india-can-beat-top-teams-at-hockey-world-cup/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/savita-punia-sure-india-can-beat-top-teams-at-hockey-world-cup/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.