FIH Pro League Schedule: India’s Desperate Fight for Survival

The FIH Pro League 2025-26 enters its final stretch for India. Between June 14 and June 28, Craig Fulton’s side plays eight matches across Rotterdam and London against the Netherlands, Germany, England, and Pakistan. These are the last competitive matches India play before the World Cup opens on August 15 in Amstelveen.

With the debate still open on whether India send one squad or two across the World Cup and Asian Games, these eight matches carry extra importance. They are Fulton’s last real opportunity to test his bench strength, assess the depth of his squad, and make the calls that will define how India approach both tournaments.

Read More: India’s Big Call: Chase World Cup Glory or Secure Olympic Qualification?

India’s FIH Pro League Form

India’s form in 2025-26 Pro League is a cause for concern. In the 2025-26 season, India have played eight matches and won none. Three draws, one shootout bonus point, five losses. They sit eighth in the standings with four points, ahead of only bottom-placed Pakistan who have zero points from eight matches.

The winless run goes further back than this season. India’s last regulation Pro League win came on June 22, 2025, a 4-3 victory over Belgium in Antwerp on the final day of the 2024-25 season. That win ended what was then their longest ever Pro League losing streak of seven successive defeats. The current season has added eight more matches without a win, though three draws and a shootout point show the gap is narrowing in some matches.

The opponents in this final leg are not straightforward. The Netherlands currently sit fourth in the standings. England are fifth. Germany sixth. Pakistan last. Every match is a genuine test.

What Is at Stake

For the Pro League title, India are out of contention. Belgium lead the standings with 22 points from eight matches, well clear of Australia in second. India’s focus is not the title.

Two things matter in these eight matches. First, avoiding relegation. The bottom team at the end of the season drops out of the Pro League and is replaced by the Nations Cup winner. India currently sit eighth, two points clear of Pakistan who are last. With eight matches remaining, the gap is manageable but not comfortable.

Second, and more importantly, World Cup preparation. England and Pakistan are India’s Pool D opponents in Amstelveen in August. Playing both of them twice in June, under Pro League pressure, is as close to a World Cup rehearsal as Fulton will get. The Netherlands appear twice as well. India and the Dutch are in different pools at the World Cup, but could meet in the second round if both progress as expected. Every match in Rotterdam and London is a live scouting opportunity and a chance to test what actually works against the opposition that matters most.

The question remains: Is this winless streak a sign of a team in decline, or is it the calculated cost of a preparation curve designed to peak only on August 15? While the fans worry about the scoreboard in Rotterdam, the coaching staff may be playing a much longer game.

India’s Remaining FIH Pro League Schedule

All eight matches are against sides India will either face directly at the World Cup or could meet in the knockout rounds. All times in IST.

India have six weeks between their last Pro League match on June 28 and the World Cup opener on August 15. Whether these eight matches produce results or just answers, what Fulton learns in Rotterdam and London will shape how India walk into Amstelveen.

Source: FIH. All times in IST and subject to change.

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