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.