New Delhi, July 15 (IANS) With exactly one month to go before the FIH Hockey World Cup Belgium and Netherlands 2026 gets underway, Indian men’s hockey chief coach Craig Fulton says the squad has returned to camp refreshed and is steadily building intensity as preparations enter the decisive phase for the sport’s showpiece event.

The World Cup, scheduled from August 15 to 30, will be a landmark edition, with the men’s and women’s tournaments being staged simultaneously for the first time at the same venues in Belgium and the Netherlands. Both Indian teams are currently training at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) Centre in Bengaluru ahead of the tournament.

India’s men’s team heads into the World Cup encouraged by a productive European leg of the FIH Hockey Pro League, where it registered notable wins over reigning world champions Germany, Olympic champions the Netherlands and arch-rivals Pakistan, while also putting in a competitive display against England.

Speaking about the atmosphere in the ongoing national camp, Fulton said the players have resumed training with renewed enthusiasm after their break following the Pro League.

“The players have come into the camp fresh (after a break following the Pro League tour of Europe), and you can see it in the energy on the pitch. The sessions have been sharp and competitive, with everyone eager to be back together. The first few days had been about getting the legs moving again, re-establishing our standards and now we are gradually building the intensity as we prepare for the World Cup,” Fulton said.

The 1975 world champions have been drawn in Pool D alongside England, Pakistan and Wales. India will open its campaign against Wales on August 15 before facing England on August 17 and Pakistan on August 19. While England are expected to provide a stern challenge after a series of closely contested meetings in the FIH Pro League, the clash against Pakistan remains one of the most anticipated fixtures of the group stage.

Fulton explained that the coaching staff has adopted a phased approach to training, with an emphasis on physical conditioning before gradually shifting focus to tactical execution and decision-making.

“We’re doing strong conditioning work early in the week to build our physical base, before moving into more tactical, unit-based sessions as the week progresses. We’re also doing a lot of small-sided games to keep decision-making sharp under fatigue, alongside daily video reviews to reinforce learning and specific work on our press and counter. It’s about improving what we’re already good at and continuing to build on those strengths,” he added.

–IANS

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