India finish 8th at Hockey World Cup after shootout loss to Belgium
India fell 4-3 in a penalty shootout to Belgium after a 2-2 draw, leaving the team in eighth place at the 2026 FIH Men's Hockey World Cup.
By SamacharDaily Editorial Team••1 min read
India’s campaign ended with a 4-3 penalty shootout defeat to Belgium, after a 2-2 draw in regular time where forward Harmanpreet Singh netted a brace.
The loss placed India eighth overall in the 2026 FIH Men's Hockey World Cup, concluding their tournament after the classification match. Belgium advanced to the semifinals.
The result sparked criticism of the team’s defensive lapses in high‑pressure moments and prompted calls for strategic revisions ahead of the 2026 Asian Games and the 2028 Olympic qualifiers.
Video: India vs Belgium I FIH Hockey World Cup Belgium & Netherlands 2026 Match Highlights I 28.08.2026
The finish affects India’s world ranking and could influence seedings for upcoming major events, potentially jeopardizing qualification pathways.
It also puts pressure on Hockey India to justify recent investments in grassroots programs and may trigger a review of coaching staff and player selection ahead of the next Olympic cycle.
India and ASEAN member states met to identify scalable cooperation areas in agriculture, focusing on technology sharing, trade facilitation and climate‑resilient farming.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday called for a formal partnership with the Confederation of Indian Industry to fast‑track sustainable crop‑residue handling and boost horticultural productivity through shared technology.
Karnataka will restart college and university student union elections this academic year, dropping caste‑based quotas and reserving a set of seats for women to foster leadership and democratic practice.
•1 min read
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