'Did not perform to expectations': HI president Dilip Tirkey on India men’s World Cup 2026 campaign
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "'Did not perform to expectations': HI president Dilip Tirkey on India men’s World Cup 2026 campaign")
'Did not perform to expectations': Dilip Tirkey on India men’s WC 2026 campaign Photograph: (Hockey India)
Hockey India president Dilip Tirkey has expressed disappointment with the Indian men’s team’s performance at the FIH Hockey World Cup 2026, saying the side did not perform up to expectations.
Hockey India president Dilip Tirkey has expressed disappointment with the performance of the Indian men's team at the FIH Hockey World Cup 2026, saying the side failed to live up to expectations. India's men's hockey team finished eighth at the WC in Belgium and Netherlands after going down 4-3 to co-hosts Belgium in a penalty shootout following a 3-3 draw in the 7th/8th-place playoff at the Belfius Hockey Arena in Wavre on Friday. Belgium secured seventh place on home soil.
Before their defeat to Belgium, the Harmanpreet Singh-led side's campaign included a 5-3 loss to Argentina, a 3-1 defeat against the Netherlands, a 5-3 victory over Pakistan, a 4-2 loss to England and a 3-1 win against Wales.
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Speaking with ANI on the sidelines of the National Sports Day celebrations at the Major Dhyan Chand Stadium in New Delhi on Saturday, Tirkey said India men's team failed to meet expectations at the World Cup despite showing strong performances in earlier matches. He said Hockey India will assess the campaign after the players return, with the focus now shifting to the upcoming Asian Games.
“The men's team has not been able to perform according to the expectations we had. And we also saw the match yesterday against Belgium; we lost in the shootout, and we came in 8th position. I am also not happy with it,” he said.
"The way we see the players, the way we have seen them in previous matches, in some matches Team India has performed very well. But in the World Cup, they have not been able to do it. Let's see. There are Asian Games now. After that we will analyse and see what can be better," he added.
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With inputs from agencies
