Hockey India announces INR 50 lakh cash reward for women’s team

Hockey India has announced a cash reward of INR 50 lakh for the Indian women’s hockey team after their historic fifth-place finish at the FIH Hockey World Cup 2026. The reward was announced on Friday, a day after Salima Tete-led India beat World No. 5 Germany 3-1 in the 5th/6th place match in Amstelveen. The result gave India their best World Cup finish since 1974, when they finished fourth in the tournament’s inaugural edition.

India had a strong campaign against several higher-ranked teams and suffered only one defeat. They played out draws against China, England and Australia, while also securing a big 6-1 win over South Africa. They then ended their campaign with a victory over Germany under Chief Coach Sjoerd Marijne.

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Hockey India President Dilip Tirkey praised the team’s achievement and said, “This is a historic result for Indian women’s hockey. To finish fifth at a World Cup after 52 years is a testament to the hard work, resilience and fighting spirit this team has shown throughout the tournament.”

“On behalf of Hockey India, I am pleased to announce a cash award of INR 50 lakh for the team as a token of our appreciation, and I hope this inspires the players to keep raising the bar,” he added.