Asian Games 2026: Returning to blue, India eye Olympic spots – Preview

When the hockey competition at the 20th Asian Games opens at the Gifu Prefectural Green Stadium on September 20, it will carry weight far beyond a continental medal. A gold in Kakamigahara means direct qualification for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, turning what is normally a prestige tournament into a must-win proposition. 

For India, fielding a men's team that arrives as defending Asian Games champions and back-to-back Olympic bronze medallists, and a women's team riding the high of a historic World Cup run, the stakes have rarely been higher.

Indian Men, gold favourites

Craig Fulton’s boys have barely had anything to cheer for in recent times. Off-field controversies involving cannabis gummies, jersey colours, and the Hockey India administrative mess have dominated the headlines more than the performances on it.

Harmanpreet Singh and co finished a lowly eighth at the recently concluded 2026 FIH Men’s World Cup last month. There were talks of sending two separate teams to the World Cup & Asian Games, but the selection committee decided against it and has sent largely the same squad to Japan.

Despite everything, the men returning to blue will start as firm favourites to defend their title and secure a spot at the Los Angeles Olympic Games.

At world No. 8 with 3072.69 rating points, India are head and shoulders above the next best team on the continent at world No. 12 – Pakistan. Malaysia, Japan, and China trail further.

That gap shows up on the pitch as much as on paper. Since 2016, India has not lost to Pakistan in any competition, winning 14 of the last 16 meetings, including a 10-2 rout at the Hangzhou Asian Games and a 5-3 victory over their old rivals at this year's World Cup. The record against Japan (86 wins from 97 meetings) and Malaysia (89 from 127) also tells a story of historical dominance.

The draw has been kind too. Pool A pairs India with host Japan, South Korea, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Indonesia, with the softer fixtures against Indonesia and Sri Lanka front-loaded to open the tournament.

That sequencing gives Fulton room to rotate his squad and sharpen their penalty corners and finishing execution before the pool's real tests against South Korea on September 24, and Japan two days later decide who tops the group.

China, the biggest threat in women

The women’s team coached by Sjoerd Marijne, meanwhile, enters with a completely different mindset. They are fresh off a fifth-place finish at the 2026 FIH Women’s World Cup – a definite punch above their weight for their best finish in 52 years.

Only China, ranked 4th in the world and the 2024 Paris Olympics silver medallists, stand clearly above the world No. 8, led by Salima Tete.

And even with China, if recent results are to go by, India can hold its own. Their most recent meeting at the World Cup ended 2-2, thanks to a structurally solid defensive display.

Against the rest of the continent, India's superiority is closer to the men's team's. The side is unbeaten against South Korea in four straight meetings and has beaten Japan in recent encounters, including a 2-1 bronze-medal win at the last Asian Games.

Pool B slots India alongside hosts Japan, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia and Uzbekistan.

Win the pool, and India avoids China until a potential gold-medal match, if China does so as well. Slip to second, and a China semi-final becomes likely, increasing the pressure manifold.

Squads

Men: Mohith HS, Suraj Karkera, Jarmanpreet Singh, Harmanpreet Singh (c), Amit Rohidas, Jugraj Singh, Sanjay Rana, Sumit, Yashdeep Siwach, Rajinder Singh, Raj Kumar Pal, Hardik Singh, Manpreet Singh, Nilakanta Sharma, Vivek Sagar Prasad, Dilpreet Singh, Shilanand Lakra, Sukhjeet Singh, Mandeep Singh, Abhishek Nain

Women: Savita Punia, Bichu Devi Kharibam, Ishika Chaudhary, Sushila Chanu Pukhrambam, Lalthantluangi, Jyoti, Shilpi Dabas, Nikki Pradhan, Sakshi Rana, Sunelita Toppo, Salima Tete (c), Neha, Deepika Soreng, Lalremsiami, Rutuja Pisal, Navneet Kaur, Deepika, Ishika, Baljeet Kaur, Beauty Dungdung

Schedule

Men

Sept 20: India v/s. Indonesia, 11:30 AM IST

Sept 22: India v/s. Sri Lanka, 3:30 PM IST

Sept 24: South Korea v/s. India, 11:30 AM IST

Sept 26: India v/s. Japan, 1:30 PM IST

Sept 28: India v/s. Bangladesh, 3:30 PM IST

Women

Sept 20: India v/s Uzbekistan, 11:00 AM IST

Sept 21: India v/s. Indonesia, 1:00 PM IST

Sept 23: India v/s. Thailand, 3:00 PM IST

Sept 25: Japan v/s. India, 11:00 AM IST

Sept 27: India v/s. Singapore, 7:00 PM IST

Where to Watch?

You can catch all the hockey action from the 2026 Asian Games on Sony Sports Network.