The Indian Women’s Hockey Team made a successful return to the elite level of international hockey by winning the FIH Hockey Women’s Nations Cup 2025–26, defeating hosts New Zealand 2-0 in the final in Auckland on Sunday.
With the victory, India earned promotion to the FIH Hockey Pro League 2026–27 and claimed their second Nations Cup title, having also won the inaugural tournament in 2022.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the team on their achievement, praising their outstanding performances throughout the tournament.
“Indian hockey players bring pride and joy. Congratulations to the women’s team for winning the FIH Hockey Women’s Nations Cup. The team played exceptionally well throughout the tournament. Best wishes to the team, and may this victory inspire many more youngsters to take up hockey,” Modi said.
Playing at the North Harbour National Hockey Centre, India took control early in the final. Navneet Kaur opened the scoring in the fourth minute with a powerful penalty-corner strike, while Sunelita Toppo doubled the lead in the 15th minute by deflecting Deepika’s shot into the net.
India’s defence then produced a disciplined display to deny New Zealand any route back into the contest. Goalkeeper Savita Punia made several key saves, including during a crucial penalty-corner opportunity for the hosts in the fourth quarter.
Lalremsiami Hmarzote was named Player of the Match for her performance in the final, while Deepika finished as the tournament’s joint top scorer with six goals, sharing the honour with Ashley Sessa of the United States.
India completed an unbeaten campaign, defeating the United States (3-2), Japan (2-1), and Uruguay (3-2) in the group stage before thrashing Chile 6-0 in the semi-final.
The triumph marks a remarkable comeback for India, who were relegated from the Pro League after finishing last in the 2024–25 season. The Nations Cup victory now restores their place among the world’s top hockey nations.
To celebrate the achievement, Hockey India announced cash rewards of ₹3 lakh for each player and ₹1.5 lakh for every member of the support staff.
The final standings saw India finish first, followed by New Zealand, the United States, Chile, Korea, Japan, France, and Uruguay.
Individual Awards:
Player of the Tournament: Ashley Sessa (USA)
Goalkeeper of the Tournament: Grace O’Hanlon (New Zealand)
Top Scorer: Deepika (India) and Ashley Sessa (USA)
Young Player of the Tournament: Riana Pho (New Zealand)
The title-winning campaign not only secured India’s return to the Pro League but also boosted the team’s momentum as they continue their preparations for future international events, including qualification pathways for the 2028 Olympic Games.