India vs Belgium Live Score, Hockey World Cup 2026: India look to salvage pride against Belgium after semi-final heartbreak

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India vs Belgium Live Score, Hockey World Cup 2026: India will be desperate to salvage some pride from their FIH World Cup campaign when they take on formidable co-hosts Belgium in the seventh/eighth-place classification match today. The result will not change India’s failure to reach the semi-finals, but a victory over the world No. 2 side could provide a valuable confidence boost after a campaign marked by inconsistency. India had entered the tournament with hopes of ending their 51-year wait for a World Cup podium finish, but those ambitions were shattered by a 3-5 loss to Argentina in their final second-round game. India conceded inside the opening 39 seconds and never fully recovered.

Defensive frailties have been a recurring problem, with India scoring 14 goals but conceding 16. They were also beaten 2-4 by England after opening the tournament with wins over Pakistan and Wales. Even against Olympic champions Netherlands, India remained competitive for 40 minutes before conceding three goals in the final quarter.

Belgium will present another stern test, particularly with home advantage and strong penalty-corner options. Tom Boon has scored five goals at the World Cup after producing 19 in the Pro League this season, while Alexander Hendrickx contributed 15 Pro League goals. Belgium also defeated India 4-2 and 3-1 in Rourkela in February.

India coach Craig Fulton said Belgium are “one of the top three in the world” and called for an organised performance, especially in defence. For India, the match is also an opportunity to build momentum before the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, where gold would bring direct qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.