Led by Harmanpreet Singh, India will seek answers against elite opposition ahead of the two major assignments.  | Photo Credit: PTI

India will take on host Netherlands in the European leg of the FIH Pro League on Sunday, beginning a crucial stretch of matches ahead of the Hockey World Cup and Asian Games later this year.

Led by Harmanpreet Singh, India will seek answers against elite opposition ahead of the two major assignments. The World Cup will be jointly hosted by the Netherlands and Belgium from August 15 to 30, while the Asian Games in Japan, from September 19 to October 4, will also serve as a qualifier for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

India will also face Germany in back-to-back matches on June 17 and 18 before meeting the Dutch side again on June 21 to conclude its stint in the Netherlands.

The team will subsequently travel to London, where it is scheduled to play two matches each against arch-rival Pakistan and host England.

India is eighth in the nine-team standings with four points from eight matches, one place above Pakistan. Belgium leads the table with 22 points from eight games, ahead of Australia (21), Argentina (17) and the Netherlands (15).

Head coach Craig Fulton said the European leg would provide a valuable measure of where the team stands ahead of the World Cup.

“This Pro League block is a crucial part of our World Cup preparation. Playing in the Netherlands and England against top-ranked opposition is exactly the test we need at this stage,” Fulton said.

“These fixtures give us the opportunity to test different combinations. Our focus is simple: press well, be dangerous on the counterattack and maintain consistency throughout the matches. We know where we want to be by the World Cup, and these games will show us where we stand.”

Fulton also stressed the value of playing in conditions similar to those India will encounter at the World Cup.

“Playing hockey in the Netherlands and against the hosts is always a valuable experience. With full stadiums and a fantastic atmosphere, these are ideal tournament conditions for us,” he said.

The match could also be a landmark occasion for Manpreet Singh, who is set to draw level with the record of 412 international appearances for India, held by Hockey India president Dilip Tirkey.

Published on Jun 13, 2026