Hyderabad, March 7 (NationPress) The Indian women's national field hockey team is set to strive for a prestigious spot in the upcoming FIH Hockey Women’s World Cup 2026. They will compete in the FIH Hockey World Cup Qualifiers 2026 in Hyderabad, Telangana, commencing this Sunday.

This tournament features eight competing teams: the hosts India, alongside England, Scotland, Korea, Italy, Uruguay, Wales, and Austria, all vying for three highly sought-after qualification slots for the global event.

Three direct World Cup spots are available in Hyderabad, with the teams that finish in the top three positions in the tournament qualifying for the 2026 edition. The World Cup will include 16 teams in both the men's and women's tournaments, with nine teams in each category already confirmed for participation, leading to a highly competitive qualification round.

The tournament will split the teams into two pools of four, with the top two from each pool advancing to the semifinals. The winners of these semifinals, as well as the victor of the bronze medal match, will earn automatic qualification for the World Cup. Additionally, the highest-ranked team finishing fourth in Hyderabad will also secure a World Cup spot.

In pool A, England, Korea, Italy, and Austria will compete, while pool B comprises hosts India, Scotland, Uruguay, and Wales. This tournament represents the final chance for these teams to secure their place in the World Cup, ensuring intense competition among some of the premier hockey nations.

India is eager to leverage the strong support from home crowds in Hyderabad to deliver an outstanding performance. The team will be under the leadership of chief coach Sjoerd Marijne, who rejoined the squad earlier this year.

Currently ranked ninth globally, India is the second-highest ranked team in the tournament, just behind England, who holds the seventh position worldwide. With a formidable squad and the benefit of playing at home, the hosts are committed to seizing this opportunity to qualify for the World Cup.

The Indian team will kick off their campaign against Uruguay on March 8, followed by matches against Scotland and Wales on March 9 and March 11, respectively.

The Indian Women’s Hockey Team has participated in eight editions of the FIH Hockey Women’s World Cup and is aiming for their ninth appearance. Their best result was fourth place in the inaugural tournament in 1974.

In anticipation of the tournament, Indian team Captain Salima Tete expressed, “We are incredibly excited to play the qualifiers at home in front of our fans. The team has been training rigorously for this tournament because we understand what is at stake. Each team here is contending for a World Cup spot, so we expect challenging matches from the outset.”

She continued, “Competing in Hyderabad will be particularly special for us. The support from our home crowd provides extra motivation. Our focus is on taking it one match at a time, maintaining discipline, and giving our best to deliver strong performances and secure our place in the World Cup.”