Asian Games 2026 Men's and Women's Hockey Draws Announced
Men's Hockey Competition Draw
India, the reigning champions, have been placed in a different pool from their long-time rivals, Pakistan, for the men's hockey event at the Asian Games 2026. This arrangement ensures that the two teams will not face each other until the knockout rounds of the tournament.
The draw, which was officially announced by the event organizers on Friday, sees India in Pool A alongside Japan, South Korea, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia. Meanwhile, Pakistan is positioned in Pool B with Malaysia, China, Oman, Uzbekistan, and Thailand. This setup means that a highly anticipated India-Pakistan match can only occur in the semi-finals or medal rounds, provided both teams advance past the group stage.
Women's Competition Draw
In the women's hockey event, India finds itself in Pool B, competing against Japan, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, and Uzbekistan. Pool A consists of China, South Korea, Malaysia, Kazakhstan, Chinese Taipei, and Bangladesh.
Tournament Format and Schedule
Both the men's and women's tournaments will feature 12 teams, divided into two pools of six. The top two teams from each pool will qualify for the semi-finals, while the remaining teams will engage in classification matches.
The hockey events at the Asian Games are scheduled to take place from September 18 to October 3 at the Gifu Prefectural Green Stadium in Kakamigahara, Japan. The women's medal matches are set for October 2, followed by the men's finals on October 3.
India's Pursuit of Olympic Qualification
As the defending champions, India's men's team will head to Aichi-Nagoya after clinching the gold medal at the Hangzhou Asian Games in 2023. Under the leadership of Harmanpreet Singh, India triumphed over Japan in the final, marking their fourth Asian Games title and securing direct qualification for the Paris Olympics.
The 2026 tournament will again act as the continental qualifier for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, with the men's gold medalists earning an automatic spot. The Indian women's team, which secured a bronze at Hangzhou 2023, aims to enhance their performance and qualify for the Olympics after missing out on Paris 2024.
Historical Performance at Asian Games
India's men's hockey team has achieved gold in four Asian Games (1966, 1998, 2014, and 2023), while Pakistan holds the record for the most titles in the competition's history with eight. The Indian women's team, who were the first champions in 1982, will be striving for their first gold in 44 years.