India emerged victorious in the FIH Hockey Women’s Nations Cup New Zealand 2025-26 by defeating the hosts 2-0 in the final held in Auckland on Sunday.
Navneet Kaur scored the opening goal for India in the 4th minute, followed by Sunelita Toppo adding a second goal in the 15th minute. The Indian team displayed a remarkable defensive performance, securing their win and clinching the title, guaranteeing their place in the FIH Hockey Women’s Pro League next season.
Lalremsiami was honored with the ‘Player of the Match’ award in the final, while Deepika finished as the top scorer of the tournament with six goals, sharing the accolade with USA’s Ashley Sessa.
This victory marks India’s second Nations Cup triumph, following their initial win in 2022. India maintained an unbeaten record throughout the tournament, triumphing over USA (3-2), Japan (2-1), and Uruguay (3-2) in the Pool A matches. They proceeded to secure a convincing 6-0 victory against Chile in the semi-final before claiming the title with a strong 2-0 win over New Zealand in the final.
To celebrate the team’s achievements, Hockey India announced a cash prize of INR 3 lakh for each player and INR 1.5 lakh for support staff members.
In the title match, India took the lead early on with Navneet’s penalty corner goal in the 4th minute. The team maintained their energy and extended their lead to 2-0 with Sunelita Toppo’s goal from a penalty corner in the 15th minute.
Throughout the game, India demonstrated discipline and resilience, holding onto their lead despite New Zealand’s attempts to stage a comeback. With a solid defensive effort, India thwarted New Zealand’s goal-scoring opportunities, securing their victory with a 2-0 scoreline.
