Sport · India Bureau
India's Hockey Teams Face Classification Matches at 2026 World Cup
Both India's men's and women's hockey squads have failed to secure semifinal berths at the 2026 Hockey World Cup and will compete in classification matches to determine their final standings.
LSN India ·
India's campaign at the 2026 Hockey World Cup has taken a setback with neither the men's nor women's teams advancing to the semifinals. The two squads will now participate in classification matches—a secondary competition designed to determine final rankings among teams that did not reach the tournament's last four.
Classification matches typically pit eliminated teams against one another based on their group stage performance and head-to-head records. These contests remain significant as they influence the final standings and seeding for future international tournaments. The exact schedule for India's classification fixtures has yet to be confirmed by the International Hockey Federation.
The exclusion from semifinals represents a disappointing outcome for Indian hockey, which has been working to strengthen its competitive position in the sport. Both teams will look to use the classification matches as an opportunity to secure respectable finishing positions and gain valuable match experience heading into subsequent competitions.
The 2026 Hockey World Cup continues to unfold with teams battling for medals and ranking points. Final tournament results will have implications for the teams' world rankings and seeding in upcoming continental and Olympic qualifiers.