India Hockey Schedule 2026: Full List of Tournaments, Dates of the Indian Hockey Team in This Calendar Year

India Hockey Schedule 2026: After a landmark year that reinforced India's resurgence on the global stage, the Indian hockey teams are set for a dem...

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India Hockey Schedule 2026: After a landmark year that reinforced India's resurgence on the global stage, the Indian hockey teams are set for a demanding and high-stakes 2026.

With major international assignments, continental commitments, and a busy domestic structure, the calendar promises to test depth, consistency, and long-term planning across both the men's and women's programmes.

The year will begin with domestic action as the revived Hero Hockey India League (HIL) takes centre stage. The women's competition, which started in late December 2025, will conclude on January 10 in Ranchi, while the men's HIL will run from January 3 to January 26.

Matches will be staged in Chennai, Ranchi, and Bhubaneswar, with the final scheduled at the Kalinga

Stadium, Bhubaneswar. The league is expected to play a key role in maintaining competitive sharpness and identifying players for international duty.

Soon after, the Indian men's team will resume its FIH Pro League campaign. The home leg will be held at the Birsa Munda Stadium in Rourkela from February 10 to 15, before the team travels to Australia (February 21-25) for the next phase. The remaining Pro League fixtures will take place in June, with matches scheduled across the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.

For the women's team, March will be crucial. India will host the FIH Women's World Cup Qualifiers in Hyderabad from March 8 to 14, a last-chance pathway to the 2026 World Cup. The tournament will feature strong opposition, including England, Scotland, Korea, Italy, Uruguay, Wales, and Austria, making qualification a significant challenge.

The biggest global assignment of the year arrives in August, when India will compete at the FIH Hockey World Cup, co-hosted by Belgium and the Netherlands from August 15 to 30. With recent Olympic performances raising expectations, the tournament represents a major opportunity for India to challenge the world's elite.

The season will conclude with continental focus as both teams head to Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, for the Asian Games from September 19 to October 4. As defending champions, the Indian men's team will target a title defence and a direct qualification spot for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.

Beyond international commitments, Hockey India has also lined up an extensive domestic programme aimed at strengthening grassroots development and building a strong pipeline for the future.