India's men's hockey team commences its World Cup campaign, aiming to end a 51-year medal drought. Recent successes, including Olympic bronze (Tokyo 2021, Paris 2024) and Asian Games gold (2023), boost confidence. Coach Craig Fulton's squad targets a higher World Cup finish. The Salima Tete-led women's team, rebuilt under Sjoerd Marijne, qualified for the World Cup and won the Nations Cup. Ranked ninth, they face tough opponents. Both Indian teams, participating in the co-hosted World Cup, must play cohesively, building their strategy towards Los Angeles 2028.