India Coach Harendra Singh is Thinking 'Long Term' with Women's Hockey Team, Eyes on FIH World Cup and Asian Games 2026

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Polishing muscle memory and incorporating tactical variations to outwit opponents will be key focus areas for Harendra Singh, the chief coach of India's national women's hockey team, as he works towards achieving success in the 2026 season.

"Our long-term plan is to excel at the 2026 Women's FIH Hockey World Cup scheduled to be held in Belgium," Singh told myKhel. "The national team should also dominate the 2026 Asian Games."

Harendra Singh, who took charge in April this year, believes the team's gold-medal-winning performance at the 2024 Women's Asian Champions Trophy in Rajgir, Bihar, is just a small step toward bigger achievements. India clinched the title by defeating Olympic silver medalists China with a solitary goal in the final.

Despite this recent success, Singh acknowledges the challenges ahead. "By the time our opponents are able to read our game, we should be far ahead. That's the only way to make a big impact in major tournaments," he explained, emphasizing the importance of maintaining an element of surprise in high-stakes matches.

The Indian women's hockey team has experienced mixed fortunes in recent years. While they achieved a historic fourth-place finish at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics (held in 2021 due to the pandemic), they failed to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Rebuilding and regrouping the team is now a priority for Singh.

"We worked on certain areas and were successful at the Asian Champions Trophy on home ground in Bihar," Singh said. "The process to learn and move forward will continue in 2025 as the main goal is to build a good team for the 2026 season."

Harendra Singh highlighted the importance of upcoming opportunities like the FIH Pro League in February 2025. "It will be another good opportunity to learn to convert more field goals. The players should also learn to be highly successful in penalty corner conversion," he explained.

Consistency and adaptability will be crucial as the team gears up for future challenges. "In the coming months, emphasis will be on playing with variation. The players should be able to play consistently throughout the competition," Singh said. "The players were excited after winning the Asian Champions Trophy, but there is more work to be done. They are eager to learn and work hard."

Singh considers 2025 a critical buildup season, laying the foundation for the high-stakes 2026 season, which will feature both the Asian Games and the World Cup. "The entire 2025 season will be about improving each and every aspect of playing a good brand of hockey," he said. "There will be no scope for error in the 2026 season."

Reflecting on the importance of preparation, Singh added, "Preliminary round matches are played at a different pace, while the knockout stage is all about do or die. We have more than 15 months to prepare physically and mentally for the 2026 season. Our fundamental goal will be one step at a time."

With clear goals and a determined mindset, the Indian women's hockey team is on a mission to make 2026 a landmark year in its history.