The Indian women's hockey team will face Australia in a must-win FIH Hockey World Cup 2026 match on Sunday, August 23. India still have a chance to reach the semi-finals, but their hopes will also depend on the result of the Netherlands vs China match.
India and Australia are both on one point in Pool E. The Netherlands have already secured their place in the semi-finals after beating India 2-0 and moving to six points.
When And Where To Watch
The India vs Australia women's Hockey World Cup 2026 match will be played at the Wagener Hockey Stadium in Amstelveen, Netherlands.
The match will start at 10:30 PM IST on Sunday, August 23. In the Netherlands, the match will begin at 7:00 PM local time.
Live Telecast
Indian viewers can watch the match live on the Star Sports Network. The game will be available on Star Select 2 (SD+HD) and Khel.
The match will also be available on DD Sports for viewers watching through DD Free Dish.
Live Streaming
The India vs Australia match can be streamed live on JioHotstar through its app and website.
India's men's and women's Hockey World Cup matches are also being shown live on DD Sports.
Semi-Final Hopes Alive
India's immediate target is simple and that is to beat Australia. However, their semi-final hopes also depend on the result of the Netherlands vs China match.
The Netherlands will face China at 7:30 PM IST on Sunday, before India's match against Australia. If China beat the Netherlands, they will move to five points and India's hopes will end.
If China draw or lose, India will need to beat Australia to keep their semi-final dream alive.
India will take confidence from their defensive performance against the Netherlands. Despite conceding early, the Indian defence stayed strong and did not allow the hosts to score a field goal.
However, India will need to be more effective in attack against Australia. The team has created chances from open play and penalty corners but will need to convert those opportunities into goals.
India head coach Sjoerd Marijne described the match as a "quarterfinal" and said both teams know each other well. India and Australia recently played a four-match series which ended 2-2.
With the semi-final spot at stake, India will need to stay calm, defend well and make the most of their scoring chances against Australia.
