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India were eliminated from the Women’s FIH Hockey World Cup 2026 after a goalless draw with Australia at the Wagener Stadium, going out on the third tiebreaker. India, Australia and China all finished Pool E on two points; India and Australia shared an identical goal difference of −2, and Australia advanced having scored three goals to India’s two. The Netherlands had earlier beaten China 4-1 to top the pool.
Amstelveen, Netherlands: One goal. Not conceded — scored.
India needed to beat Australia on Sunday evening and knew it. The Netherlands’ 4-1 win over China earlier in the day had removed the last ambiguity: China were out, Australia needed only a draw, and India needed a winner. They did not find one, and the tournament ended for them on a tiebreaker that came down to a single goal across five matches.
Almost Behind in Two Minutes
The match nearly turned against India immediately. Grace Stewart turned the ball into the net in the second minute and the on-field umpires allowed it. India referred, and the goal was struck off — the ball had hit Jyoti on the stomach before deflecting in.
It was the first of several Australian goals overturned by video referral. Australia strung the better moves together through the opening quarter, though their shots came from tight angles and improbable range. Savita Punia denied Amy Lawton’s reverse hit in the tenth minute; Bichu Devi Kharibam parried Grace Young diving to her right early in the second.
An Attritional Middle
India lost Ishika to injury in the 26th minute, and two minutes later Lalremsiami took a ball to the knee at close range and needed attention from the physio.
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Their best openings came down the right through Salima Tete and Navneet Kaur. Shilpi’s powerful effort flashed across the face of goal. In the 45th minute Deepika delivered a dangerous ball into the circle that no Indian stick could reach. Those were the chances, and none of them fell.
The Last Five Minutes
Bichu made an excellent save with an outstretched leg in the 54th after an Indian defensive error, and Salima cleared following an Australian penalty corner.
With just over five minutes remaining, India withdrew their goalkeeper for an extra outfield player and committed numbers forward. Australia dropped deeper and ran the clock down. The whistle went with the score still 0-0, and Indian players were left in tears on the pitch.
The Dutch Rout That Set the Equation
The Netherlands had already secured their semi-final place before Sunday and played like a side with something still to prove. They beat China 4-1, with all five goals of the match arriving in the first half.
It was a night of milestones in Amstelveen: Xan de Waard won her 250th cap and Freeke Moes her 100th. Moes marked hers by opening the scoring in the tenth minute with a penalty-corner variation that deflected in off a Chinese defender. Felice Albers made it two within sixty seconds, finding space in the middle of the D, and Joosje Burg added a third on 22 with a diving finish at the far post.
Ying Zhang pulled one back from China’s first penalty corner in the 24th minute, but Marijn Veen restored the three-goal margin four minutes later, stealing possession inside the circle and slotting home. China created nothing after the interval, and their semi-final hopes went with the whistle.
How the Table Fell
The Netherlands topped Pool E with nine points. Behind them, three teams finished level on two.
China’s goal difference of −3 removed them first. India and Australia were then separated by nothing — same points, same −2 goal difference — until the count reached goals scored. Australia had three. India had two.
India’s second-round campaign produced a 0-2 defeat to the Netherlands and this draw, following a first round in which they drew 2-2 with China, beat South Africa 6-1 and held England to a goalless draw in which the English had eleven penalty corners.
Sjoerd Marijne’s side now contest the fifth-place playoff. Australia join the Netherlands in the semi-finals.
Results — Pool E, Women’s
India 0-0 Australia
Netherlands 4-1 China (Freeke Moes 10′, Felice Albers 11′, Joosje Burg 22′, Marijn Veen 28′; Ying Zhang 24′)
Final Pool E standings: Netherlands 9 pts; Australia 2 (−2, 3 goals scored); India 2 (−2, 2 goals scored); China 2 (−3)
