Jhansi (Uttar Pradesh) [India], October 9 (ANI): The 16th Hockey India senior men's National Championship 2026 is set to begin on October 10 in Uttar Pradesh's Jhansi with 29 teams competing across three divisions. The tournament will conclude on October 21, with the Division ‘A’ final scheduled for the final day of competition.
In the previous edition, Hockey Punjab were crowned champions of the prestigious 15th Hockey India Senior Men National Championship 2025 after defeating Hockey Madhya Pradesh 4-1 in the Division ‘A’ final. Uttar Pradesh Hockey secured third place, defeating Manipur Hockey 5-1 in the third-place match.
The 2026 edition will feature Division ‘A’, Division ‘B’ and Division ‘C’, with teams grouped according to their rankings from the 2025 edition. The championship will provide a competitive platform for teams from across the country to showcase their talent and compete for honours at the national level.
Division ‘A’ will feature 12 teams divided into four pools of three teams each. Pool A comprises Hockey Punjab, Hockey Unit of Tamil Nadu and Hockey Bengal, while 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.
The pool stage will be followed by the Quarter-Finals on 18 October, with the top two teams from each pool advancing to the knockout stage. The Semi-Finals will take place on 19 October, followed by the third-place match and the Final on 21 October.
Division ‘B’ will see 10 teams compete across two pools. 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.
Meanwhile, Division ‘C’ will feature seven teams divided into two pools. Pool A includes Hockey Mizoram, Hockey Himachal and Hockey Jammu & Kashmir, while Pool B comprises Hockey Andhra Pradesh, Hockey Rajasthan, Bihar (BSSA) and Hockey Gujarat.
The Division ‘B’ and Division ‘C’ matches will begin on 10 October, with teams looking to make a strong start to their campaigns. Division ‘A’ fixtures are scheduled to begin on 14 October, featuring several competitive encounters as teams look to secure their places in the knockout stage.
With teams competing across three divisions, the 16th Hockey India senior men National Championship promises an exciting fortnight of domestic hockey in Jhansi, as participating teams aim to make their mark and challenge for the respective titles.
The championship will be held in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, from October 10 to October 21. (ANI)
Hockey India senior men National Championship 2026 to begin in Jhansi
