Hockey India Senior Men National Championship 2026 begins in Jhansi on Oct 10
Synopsis
The 16th Hockey India Senior Men National Championship kicks off in Jhansi on 10 October, with 29 teams across three divisions battling for national honours. Defending champions Hockey Punjab headline Division 'A', which features four pools and a knockout stage culminating in the final on 21 October — the biggest stage in Indian domestic hockey.
Key Takeaways
The 16th Hockey India Senior Men National Championship 2026 begins in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh on 10 October 2026 .
29 teams will compete across Division 'A' , Division 'B' , and Division 'C' ; the tournament concludes on 21 October .
Defending champions Hockey Punjab headline Division 'A' , which features 12 teams in four pools.
Quarter-finals are scheduled for 18 October , semi-finals on 19 October , and the final on 21 October .
In 2025, Hockey Punjab defeated Hockey Madhya Pradesh 4-1 in the Division 'A' final.
The 16th Hockey India Senior Men National Championship 2026 is set to get underway on 10 October 2026 in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, with 29 teams competing across three divisions over 12 days. The tournament concludes on 21 October, with the Division 'A' final slated for the last day of competition.
Championship Format and Division Structure
The 2026 edition is organised into Division 'A', Division 'B', and Division 'C', with teams seeded according to their performances in the 2025 edition. Division 'A' features 12 teams split into four pools of three, with the top two from each pool advancing to the quarter-finals on 18 October. Semi-finals follow on 19 October, before the third-place match and final on 21 October.
Pool A comprises Hockey Punjab, Hockey Unit of Tamil Nadu, and Hockey Bengal. Pool B features Hockey Madhya Pradesh, Hockey Maharashtra, and Le Puducherry Hockey. Pool C includes Uttar Pradesh Hockey, Hockey Karnataka, and Hockey Chandigarh, while Pool D consists of Manipur Hockey, Hockey Haryana, and Delhi Hockey. Division 'A' fixtures are scheduled to begin on 14 October.
Division B and Division C Line-ups
Division 'B' sees 10 teams compete across two pools, with matches beginning on 10 October. Pool A features Hockey Association of Odisha, Assam Hockey, Kerala Hockey, Hockey Uttarakhand, and Chhattisgarh Hockey. Pool B comprises Hockey Jharkhand, Telangana Hockey, Goans Hockey, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu Hockey, and Hockey Arunachal.
Division 'C' fields seven teams in two pools, also beginning on 10 October. Pool A includes Hockey Mizoram, Hockey Himachal, and Hockey Jammu & Kashmir. Pool B comprises Hockey Andhra Pradesh, Hockey Rajasthan, Bihar (BSSA), and Hockey Gujarat.
Defending Champions and Recent History
In the 15th Hockey India Senior Men National Championship 2025, Hockey Punjab were crowned champions after defeating Hockey Madhya Pradesh 4-1 in the Division 'A' final. Uttar Pradesh Hockey claimed third place, beating Manipur Hockey 5-1 in the bronze-medal match. Punjab will enter the 2026 edition as strong title contenders, though the competitive pool draw ensures no straightforward path to the final.
What the Tournament Means for Indian Hockey
The national championship remains one of the most significant domestic platforms for Indian hockey, offering state associations the opportunity to blood emerging talent against top competition. Notably, Jhansi — a city with deep sporting heritage in Uttar Pradesh — will host the event for the first time, adding regional significance to this edition. The tournament runs across two weekends, ensuring consistent competitive hockey through the fortnight. All eyes will be on whether Hockey Punjab can retain the title or whether a resurgent challenger — particularly Hockey Madhya Pradesh, finalists in 2025 — can dethrone them.
Point of View
Yet it rarely receives the broadcast and digital attention it deserves. Jhansi's hosting of the event is a positive step toward decentralising elite domestic hockey beyond the usual metro venues, but the tournament's long-term impact depends on whether Hockey India uses it as a genuine talent pipeline or merely a ranking exercise. With the senior national team's international calendar intensifying, the championship's role in surfacing the next generation of players — particularly from emerging units like Hockey Arunachal and Hockey Mizoram — deserves closer scrutiny from selectors.
NationPress
9 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where is the Hockey India Senior Men National Championship 2026?
The 16th Hockey India Senior Men National Championship 2026 will be held in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh from 10 October to 21 October 2026. Division 'B' and 'C' matches begin on 10 October, while Division 'A' fixtures start on 14 October.
How many teams are participating in the 2026 championship?
A total of 29 teams will compete across three divisions — Division 'A' (12 teams), Division 'B' (10 teams), and Division 'C' (7 teams). Teams are seeded based on their performances in the 2025 edition.
Who won the Hockey India Senior Men National Championship 2025?
Hockey Punjab were crowned champions of the 15th Hockey India Senior Men National Championship 2025, defeating Hockey Madhya Pradesh 4-1 in the Division 'A' final. Uttar Pradesh Hockey finished third, beating Manipur Hockey 5-1.
What is the format for Division 'A' at the 2026 championship?
Division 'A' features 12 teams in four pools of three teams each. The top two teams from each pool advance to the quarter-finals on 18 October, followed by semi-finals on 19 October and the final on 21 October.
Which teams are in Pool A of Division 'A'?
Pool A of Division 'A' comprises Hockey Punjab, Hockey Unit of Tamil Nadu, and Hockey Bengal. Hockey Punjab enter as defending champions, having won the 2025 title with a 4-1 victory over Hockey Madhya Pradesh.
