India’s men had Wales to ease into this World Cup. India’s women get no such start. Their opener on August 16 is against China, ranked fourth in the world and fresh off an Olympic silver in Paris, about as hard an assignment as Pool D could have handed them.
There is a longer story running underneath this one match. India and China are both expected to reach the final of the Asian Games in September, with an Olympic qualification spot attached to that outcome. Whatever happens here does not decide that, but it is the first live look at how these two teams measure up against each other this year, five weeks out from a final that will matter more.
India’s picture heading in is one of a team still finding its level. Sjoerd Marijne, a familiar face after his earlier spell in charge, has been candid about where this team stands. Speaking to the Times of India, he said:
“That is something we are working towards. As I said earlier, we are the best of the rest. We have proven that with the Nations Cup, and now it’s time to make the step into the top eight in the world. But that will come with ups and downs. Winning against teams like Australia and England, the top eight teams, and doing that consistently, not just once, will be our biggest challenge.”
China are exactly the kind of opponent Marijne means when he talks about proving that gap is closing. What India do have going in is a perfect Nations Cup campaign, unbeaten through five matches, capped by a 2-0 win over New Zealand in the final that secured their return to the Pro League for next season. Sunelita Toppo scored the winning goal in that final, with Deepika Sehrawat finishing the tournament as joint-top scorer and Navneet Kaur among the goals throughout.
China arrive with their own case for being taken seriously. Since the 2023 World Cup, they have finished fourth in the FIH Pro League in back-to-back seasons, their best-ever results in that competition, and added an Olympic silver in Paris. That combination puts them among the sides with a real chance of a medal at this World Cup, even if they are not the outright favourites.
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Four Losses in the Last Five Meetings
Since 2022, India and China have played fourteen times. India have won six, drawn one, and lost seven.
The shape of that record has shifted hard against India. In 2022, India were the stronger side, beating China three times, including a 7-1 win in the Pro League, with the only blemish a 1-1 draw at that year’s World Cup. Late 2023 was mixed: China beat India 4-0 in the Asian Games semi-final, but India answered with a 2-1 win at the Asian Champions Trophy weeks later. Early 2024 went the same way in reverse, with China beating India 2-1 twice in the Pro League, before India closed out the year strongly, beating China 3-0 and then 1-0 in the Asian Champions Trophy final to win the title.
Since then, China have not lost. They swept both Pro League meetings in June 2025, 3-0 and 3-2, then beat India twice more at the Asia Cup in September, 4-1 in the group stage and 4-1 again in the final.
Looking at the recent head-to-head record, China have emerged as the stronger side and go into this match expected to win. This is not going to be an easy game for India.
The Stylistic Clash That Will Decide This
China have leaned into a style built around fitness and pace, closer to how European sides play than the more traditional Asian approach. Head coach Alyson Annan has spoken about attitude and work ethic mattering as much as raw talent in building that identity. Defensively, they favour a low, stubborn block that suffocates space in the circle, tracks runners closely, and limits clean sight of goal rather than contesting territory higher up the pitch.
India’s own defensive structure looked sharp through the Nations Cup, with zones covered well and numbers committed behind the ball to shut opposition out. The question is whether that holds against opposition with China’s pace, which is a different test entirely from what India faced in New Zealand. Where India carry a real threat is through Deepika Sehrawat at the penalty corner and Navneet Kaur’s continued sharpness in front of goal.
China go into this as favourites, and the recent head-to-head record backs that up. If India are going to trouble them, it starts with taking the pace out of China’s game before it can be turned into chances, and making the penalty corners count when they come.
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What a Good Result Here Would Mean
Marijne’s top-eight target runs straight through China and England, the two sides standing between India and that finish in Pool D. A strong result against either one changes the shape of the tournament for India. Getting it against China, first up, would do two things at once: give India a fast start to the World Cup, and build momentum they can carry into the England match and the rest of the tournament.
There is also September to think about. India and China are expected to meet again at the Asian Games, in a final that carries an Olympic qualification spot. Whatever happens at Wagener Stadium on August 16 is the first real look either side gets at the other before that match.
Squads
India: Savita (GK), Bichu Devi Kharibam (GK), Ishika Chaudhary, Sushila Chanu Pukhrambam, Lalthantluangi, Jyoti, Shilpi Dabas, Nikki Pradhan, Sakshi Rana, Sunelita Toppo, Salima Tete (captain), Neha, Deepika Soreng, Lalremsiami, Rutuja Dadaso Pisal, Navneet Kaur, Deepika Sehrawat, Ishika, Baljeet Kaur, Beauty Dungdung.
China: Li Ting (GK), Liu Chencheng (GK), Yang Liu, Zhang Ying, Chen Yi, Ma Ning, Zhong Jiaqi, Dan Wen, Li Hong, Ou Zixia (captain), Peng Yang, Zou Meirong, He Jiangxin, Fan Yunxia, Chen Yang, Liu Ping, Tan Jinzhuang, Chen Tong, Yu Anhui, Luo Yaxi.
India vs China, FIH Hockey World Cup 2026, kicks off at 4:30 PM IST on August 16 at the Wagener Hockey Stadium, Amstelveen.
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