Indian Hockey Team Unveils New Jersey Ahead of World Cup 2026

The Indian hockey team has unveiled a striking new saffron jersey ahead of the 2026 Hockey World Cup, symbolizing courage and pride. This tournament, taking place in the Netherlands and Belgium, will be historic as both men's and women's events occur simultaneously. The men's team will kick off their campaign against Wales on August 15, while the women's team will face China on August 16. With a rich history and a fresh look, the teams aim to make the nation proud. Read on to learn more about their schedule and jersey design.

By Narendra Chaudhary Jul 27, 2026, 18:05 IST

New Jersey Design for Upcoming Hockey World Cup

As the Hockey World Cup 2026 approaches, the Indian hockey team has transitioned from its traditional blue jersey, which has been a hallmark for Indian national teams across various sports. This prestigious tournament is set to occur in the Netherlands at Wagener Stadium in Amstelveen and in Belgium at Stade Justin Peeters in Wavre, running from August 14 to 30. Notably, this event will be historic as it marks the first instance where both men's and women's tournaments will be held simultaneously at the same venues. In preparation, Hockey India has introduced a fresh jersey design for both the men's and women's teams. The significant alteration features a saffron home jersey adorned with mandala-inspired motifs and tri-colour piping, complemented by blue accents. Hockey India emphasized that this new color symbolizes courage, sacrifice, and victory, drawing inspiration from the Indian national flag and the rising sun, representing new beginnings.

Presenting the new India jersey! 🇮🇳Every stitch tells a story. Every pattern, every colour carries India's pride. Our teams are ready to once again do the country proud at the FIH Hockey World Cup Belgium & Netherlands 2026.🎥: Select 2 (SD+HD)+ Khel & JioHotstar🗓️: August… pic.twitter.com/8GvwbByapq
— Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) July 27, 2026

India's Matches in the Hockey World Cup 2026

The Indian men's hockey team is placed in Group D and will commence their tournament journey against Wales on August 15, coinciding with India's 80th Independence Day. Following this, they will compete against England on August 17 and face their long-standing rivals, Pakistan, on August 19. All matches will be held in Amstelveen. The top two teams from each of the four groups will advance to the knockout stage, where they will be divided into two groups of four. For the women's team, they are also in Group D, with their initial matches taking place in Amstelveen. They will begin their campaign against China on August 16, followed by matches against South Africa and England on August 18 and 20, respectively. The women's tournament will adopt the same format as the men's. Historically, the Indian men's team has clinched the tournament title once, in 1975, while the women's team achieved its best result in the inaugural tournament in 1974, finishing fourth.