Indian Women's Hockey Team Leaves for Germany Ahead of Final FIH World Cup Preparations

The Indian women's hockey team has departed for Frankfurt, Germany, to begin the final phase of its preparations for the FIH Women's Hockey World Cup 2026, which will be co-hosted by the Netherlands and Belgium from August 15 to 30.

The squad travelled from Bengaluru to Mumbai before boarding its flight to Germany. During the European leg of the tour, India will participate in an intensive training camp and play two practice matches against Germany on July 31 and August 1. These fixtures are expected to help the team fine-tune its combinations and adapt to European playing conditions ahead of the prestigious tournament.

After completing the Germany camp, the team will travel to Amsterdam on August 2 to continue its World Cup preparations in the Netherlands.

India has been placed in Pool D and will begin its campaign against China on August 16. The team will then face South Africa and England in the remaining group-stage matches.

Ahead of the team's departure, captain Salima Tete expressed confidence in the squad's preparations and determination to perform well on the global stage.

"The entire squad is looking forward to the challenge ahead. We've had a good training block, and now it's about carrying that momentum into the practice matches and then the World Cup," Tete said.

She added that the opening match against China would be a crucial test and stressed the importance of making a strong start to the tournament.

"As a team, we are determined to give our best and make the country proud," the skipper said.

The upcoming training camp and practice matches are expected to provide the Indian team with valuable match exposure before the quadrennial tournament, where they will aim to make a strong impact against some of the world's best teams.