Excitement grips Hyderabad as India’s women’s hockey team prepares to take on Italy in the FIH Hockey World Cup Qualifier 2026 semifinals. World Cup berth already in the bag, the focus now is on lifting the trophy. India’s Pool B supremacy came via 7 points from three games, outshining Scotland on goal difference.
A 4-0 opener against Uruguay set the tone, followed by holding Scotland to 2-2, and a dominant 4-1 win over Wales clinched their spot. FIH rules award World Cup qualification to the highest-ranked team finishing fourth across qualifiers. Post-Santiago—where Chile, Australia, Ireland advanced, Japan fourth (rank 15)—India’s No. 9 standing seals it.
Italy enters with mixed Pool A results: one victory, a draw, and a loss. Star forward Navneet Kaur, joint top-scorer with four goals including a hat-trick versus Wales, will be pivotal. India boasts five wins in seven encounters with Italy since 2012, losing just once. This semifinal promises fireworks, with India favored to advance.