For India’s women, the World Cup in Amstelveen ended with a fifth-place finish – the country’s best result at the tournament since 1974. There was pride in that achievement, but also a lingering feeling that this team could have gone further.
India, ranked ninth in the world, signed off with a 3-1 win over world No. 5 Germany. It was a strong finish to a campaign in which India lost just one match – to hosts and defending champions Netherlands. Speaking exclusively to NDTV from Amstelveen, Hockey India Secretary General Bholanath Singh said the team had exceeded expectations. “The girls have performed beyond expectations. Look at the entire tournament – India lost just one match, and that too against the hosts and world No. 1 Netherlands. I am now hoping that this team will win gold at the Asian Games and qualify for Los Angeles,” Singh said.
That ambition now gives the team a clear next target: the 2026 Asian Games, where the gold medallists will earn a direct ticket to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.
India had begun the World Cup with a 2-2 draw against China, the Paris Olympic silver medallists. It then produced its biggest-ever win at the Women’s World Cup, beating South Africa 6-1, before holding world No. 7 England to a goalless draw.
The 0-0 draw was enough to take India through, but the next hurdle was the biggest one yet – the Netherlands.
The hosts won 2-0, leaving India needing a result against Australia to keep its semi-final hopes alive. India put up a strong fight, but could not find a winner. The 0-0 draw sent Australia through to the semi-finals and left India to fight for fifth place.
The disappointment was still fresh after the win over Germany.
Navneet, who scored twice in the final match, broke down in tears. Her teammates gathered around her, but the striker’s frustration was clear: she believed India had found its best hockey too late.
If they had played against Australia the way they played against Germany, Navneet felt, the team could have been in the semi-finals.
Former captain and goalkeeper Savita Punia shared that feeling.
“We played very good hockey. We became emotional too. If we had been able to play this kind of hockey against Australia, we would have played in the semi-finals,” Savita said.
But there was no dwelling on the disappointment.
“Now the Asian Games are the most important tournament for us. We want to win gold at the Asian Games and qualify for Los Angeles 2028,” she added.
India’s goalkeeping and defence were among the positives of the campaign. Savita Punia and Bichu Devi shared the goalkeeping duties, while captain Salima Tete impressed with her work in penalty-corner defence.
Navneet, meanwhile, saved her best for last, scoring twice against Germany to finish the tournament on a high.
India’s fifth-place finish is its best World Cup result since 1974, when it finished fourth in Mandalieu, France.
The Asian Games will now be the next big test. India won bronze in Hangzhou in 2022 and has won the women’s hockey gold only once – in 1982. Its record at the Asian Games stands at one gold, two silver and four bronze medals.
The stakes are higher now. Win gold at the 2026 Asian Games and India will seal its place at the Los Angeles Olympics.
For a team that has shown it can stand up to the world’s best, the World Cup may be over, but there is already another big target ahead.
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