India take on England in the final of the 2026 FIH Women’s World Cup qualifier in Hyderabad today at 7.30 PM. You can follow the game live right here on ESPN (the blog will appear below this short preview).
Yesterday, India sealed their place at the World Cup with a narrow 1-0 win over Italy in the semifinal. Manisha Chauhan scored on the night– and that after a bit of fortune, when her drag flick deflected off the rusher and then took another deflection before going over the line. It was the kind of performance that left the Indian fan wanting more, but the kind of result that Indian women’s hockey needed desperately.
Having failed to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics, this was one big tournament they couldn’t afford to miss, and it appears Sjoerd Marijne has validated (for now) the decision to bring him back to the helm. The team, missing some of their senior players, have been well below-par but have squeezed through doing just enough, when it mattered most. A strong performance and result against England now will help them build the momentum and confidence they need ahead of the World Cup.
England, meanwhile, have looked a solid side through these qualifiers. They beat Italy 5-2, South Korea 3-0, Austria 2-0 in the group stages and Scotland 2-0 in the semifinal yesterday. Considering India drew Scotland 2-2 and narrowly squeezed past Italy, today’s final will be a tough test for the hosts.
Who of India or England will celebrate World Cup qualification with a win today? We’ll find out soon…
