How many times has India played in the men’s Hockey World Cup?
The Indian men’s field hockey team qualified for the FIH World Cup 2026 after it beat Korea 4-1 on Sunday in Rajgir to clinch the Asia Cup.
This will be India’s 16th World Cup appearance, making it the fourth side to play every edition of the tournament since its inception in 1971. The other teams are Germany, the Netherlands, and Spain.
Most recently, the Indian team finished ninth in the 2023 World Cup held in Bhubaneswar and Rourkela, India.
India’s only World Cup triumph came in 1975 when the side beat Pakistan 2-1 in the summit clash. It finished third in 1971 and ended as runner-up in 1973.
India’s record at men’s Hockey World Cup
1971 (Barcelona, Spain) – 3rd
1973 (Amstelveen, Netherlands) – 2nd
1975 (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) – Winner
1978 (Buenos Aires, Argentina) – 6th
1982 (Mumbai, India) – 5th
1986 (London, England) – 12th
1990 (Lahore, Pakistan) – 10th
1994 (Sydney, Australia) – 5th
1998 (Utrecht, Netherlands) – 9th
2002 (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) – 10th
2006 (Monchengladbach, Germany) – 11th
2010 (New Delhi, India) – 8th
2014 (The Hague, Netherlands) – 9th
2018 (Bhubaneswar, India) – 6th
2023 (Bhubaneswar and Rourkela, India) – 9th
Published on Sep 07, 2025