We can qualify for World Cup if we stick to the plan: Hardik Singh

India, currently holding a strong third position on the points table, are set to resume their campaign in the away leg of the FIH Hockey Pro League 2024–25 (Men). Vice Captain Hardik Singh stressed the significance of aiming for the top spot in this prestigious tournament.

“We have spoken about this within the squad and believe that if we stick to the plan, accumulate enough points, and push for wins—even securing points from draws and subsequent shootouts—we stand a great chance of qualifying for the World Cup through the Pro League,” said a confident Hardik.

Providing further context, he added, “Belgium (currently ranked No.2) and the Netherlands (placed behind India at No.4) qualify automatically as co-hosts of the FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup in 2026. That leaves England, who are on top, along with Germany and Spain, as the key competitors vying for qualification. Our matches against Argentina will also be crucial. This is a good challenge for us to have, and qualifying early would give us more time to prepare for the World Cup.”

At present, Australia—ranked sixth in the ongoing Pro League—have already sealed their World Cup berth by winning the last edition of the tournament. Belgium and the Netherlands qualify automatically as hosts. Germany, who are in fifth place and still have six matches to play, remain a potential hurdle in India’s qualification path.

Back home, India’s meticulous preparation for their European leg has been evident during their intensive red, orange, and green training sessions at the centralized camp at SAI, Bengaluru over the past three weeks.

“The sessions have been nothing short of rigorous,” laughed Hardik, highlighting the hard yards the team has put in, particularly in terms of fitness and conditioning. “We have really been put through the grind by the coach and Alan (Scientific Advisor). Our strength and conditioning have been on point—mainly because we want to be at our peak for back-to-back matches. We practically have no rest days between games, and even when we do, we’ll be traveling from the Netherlands to Belgium,” he elaborated.

India will kick off their European tour with consecutive matches against the Netherlands on 7 and 9 June, followed by back-to-back fixtures against Argentina on 11 and 12 June at the Wagner Stadium in Amstelveen.

Subsequently, the squad will head to Antwerp for clashes with Australia on 14 and 15 June, before wrapping up the tour with games against host nation Belgium on 21 and 22 June.

“Every single point from these six matches will count. What makes this campaign even more significant is that these venues will also host the World Cup next year. It gives us valuable exposure to the conditions we’ll face then. We’re approaching this as a dress rehearsal for the World Cup, which makes it all the more crucial for the team,” Hardik concluded.