November 2025 stands out as one of the most strategically loaded months in India’s sporting calendar. Across four weeks, Indian athletes and federations will navigate a dense schedule spanning Olympic qualification events, global championships, and home-hosted tournaments.
From the FIDE World Cup in Goa to the Junior Hockey World Cup in Tamil Nadu, this month functions as both a competitive showcase and a launchpad for India’s Los Angeles 2028 Olympic cycle.
Week 1: November 1–9: Goa Takes the Global Chess Stage and Korea Hosts India’s Badminton Surge
The month begins in Goa, where India hosts the FIDE World Cup 2025 (Nov 1–26) its first time doing so in 25 years. The event gathers 206 of the world’s best, including reigning World Champion D. Gukesh, and India’s formidable young core of R. Praggnanandhaa, Arjun Erigaisi, Nihal Sarin, and Vidit Gujrathi. On the women’s side, Divya Deshmukh, fresh off her World Cup triumph earlier in the year, adds a new layer of intrigue.
The World Cup serves not only as a prestigious tournament but also as a direct pathway to the 2026 Candidates Tournament the qualifying step toward the World Championship match. With 24 Indian players in the field, this event is both a symbol of India’s chess dominance and a pressure test for its new generation. Simultaneously in East Asia, the BWF Korea Masters (Nov 4–9) kicks off India’s Asian badminton swing. A Super 500-level tournament, it offers crucial ranking points for players like Lakshya Sen, and young Indian players as they chase higher seeds for 2026’s Super 750 and Super 1000 events.
The Korea Masters serves as the ideal restart point for India’s post-Paris Olympic season. For Sen and Sindhu, strong results here can consolidate their Top 20 spots, while rising players like Priyanshu Rajawat and Unnati Hooda use it to strengthen their world ranking base.
- 250 Swiss Open (Archery) — Oct 31–Nov 2
- FIDE World Cup (Chess) — Nov 1–27
- Asian Women’s U16 Championship (Volleyball) — Nov 1–8
- World Taekwondo Grand Slam (Taekwondo) — Nov 3–4
- Korea Masters (Badminton) — Nov 4–9
- WTT Champions (Table Tennis) — Nov 4–9
- AFC Champions League 2 — Al-Nassr vs FC Goa Nov 5
- WTT Feeder Vila Nova (Table Tennis) — Nov 5–9
- St James Exp Open (Squash) — Nov 5–9
- Fencing World Cup – Sabre (Fencing) — Nov 6–9
- ISSF World Championships (Shooting) — Nov 6–18
- Asian Archery Championships 2025 (Archery) — Nov 8–14
Week 2: November 10–16: The Asian Swing Peaks, New Olympic Cycles Begin
As the chess World Cup in Goa progresses into its critical middle rounds, India’s focus expands globally. The second week of November marks the start of several Olympic qualification pathways and top-tier competitions.
In Japan, the Kumamoto Masters (Nov 11–16) follows immediately after the Korea event, offering $475,000 in prize money and even higher ranking points. For Indian shuttlers, back-to-back tournaments demand sustained peak fitness and travel management a vital test of depth in the new Olympic cycle.
Meanwhile, in Shanghai, Indian squash players take on the world’s best at the China Squash Open (Nov 11–16) now upgraded to a PSA Gold event. With stars like Mostafa Asal and Hania El Hammamy in attendance, this event represents a “Gold-standard test” for Indian players such as Saurav Ghosal and Joshna Chinappa. Quarter-final runs here can preserve Top 20 rankings; early exits, however, mean steep point losses in a condensed PSA calendar.
Back home, Bengaluru plays host to the Billie Jean King Cup Play-offs (Nov 14–16) at the S.M. Krishna Tennis Stadium. India, grouped with Netherlands and Slovenia, must win to reach the 2026 Qualifiers. The event carries immense national significance not just for the tennis federation (AITA), but for India’s push to maintain its spot among elite World Group nations. On home hard courts, team chemistry and local support could prove decisive for the likes of Ankita Raina and Rutuja Bhosale.
This same weekend, in Zagreb (Nov 14–16), the Judo Grand Prix launches the LA28 Olympic qualification cycle. The event offers €98,000 in prize money and crucial early ranking points. For Indian judokas, participation is not optional establishing an early ranking foundation avoids costly “catch-up” runs later in 2026. The Zagreb Grand Prix marks the first official step toward India’s long-term Olympic judo ambitions.
- WTT Feeder Gdansk (Table Tennis) — Nov 10–14
- Kumamoto Masters (Badminton) — Nov 11–16
- China Open (Squash) — Nov 11–16
- Zagreb Grand Prix (Judo) — Nov 14–16
- 250 GT Open (Archery) — Nov 14–16
- Billie Jean King Cup Play-offs (Tennis) — Nov 14–16
- World Boxing Cup Final (Boxing) — Nov 14–21
- 36th Senior National Championships (Fencing) — Nov 15–19
Week 3: November 17–23: Multi-Discipline Grind and Domestic Development
By mid-November, India’s athletes and administrators find themselves balancing high-stakes global events and developmental tournaments at home.
In Lucknow, the Syed Modi India International one of India’s longest-running badminton tournaments offers players one final chance to earn BWF World Tour points before the season pause. The event doubles as a domestic proving ground, where younger names compete for crucial seeding upgrades entering the 2026 season.
The second half of the week introduces the ITTF Mixed Team World Cup, the first major test of a format that will debut at the LA 2028 Olympics. For Indian table tennis, this tournament is transformative: it integrates men’s and women’s singles, doubles, and mixed doubles into one unified format. The key challenge for the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI) is to identify effective mixed doubles partnerships capable of delivering results on the global stage a process that begins here.
The same week, Indian fencers and taekwondo athletes are on the international circuit, competing for vital FIE and WT ranking points. The World Taekwondo Grand Slam and Fencing World Cups (Sabre, Foil, and Epee categories) carry Olympic implications, as each result feeds into the 2028 qualification ladder. Back home, the Khelo India University Games (KIUG) in Rajasthan continue throughout mid-November, involving over seven cities. The event, now an integral link in India’s sports development system, bridges university-level athletes with national federations ensuring that future Olympians are scouted and supported early.
This week also marks India’s return to the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup (Nov 22–29, Malaysia) after six years. The hockey tournament features Germany, Belgium, Malaysia, Canada, and Ireland, providing India’s senior men’s team with top-quality exposure ahead of the 2026 World Cup cycle. The event will be the first major test of India’s new tactical combinations post-Paris 2024, especially against European opposition.
- ITF Men’s M15 (Tennis) — Nov 17–23
- AFC Women Champions League Bam Khatoon W vs East Bengal W — Nov 17
- AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers – IND vs BAN (Football) — Nov 18
- Thailand vs India U23 — Nov 15 & 18
- SRFI Indian Open (Squash) — Nov 18–22
- Australia Open (Badminton) — Nov 18–23
- AFC Women Champions League East Bengal W vs Wuhan Jiangda W — Nov 20
- Artistic Junior World Championships (Gymnastics) — Nov 20–24
- AFC Asian Cup U17 Q – Palestine vs India — Nov 22
- WTT Feeder Dusseldorf (Table Tennis) — Nov 23–27
- AFC Women Champions League East Bengal W vs FC Nasaf W — Nov 23
- ITTF World Youth Championships (Table Tennis) — Nov 23–30
- Sultan Azlan Shah Cup (Hockey) — Nov 23–30
- WTT Feeder Parma (Table Tennis) — Nov 23–Dec 3
Week 4: November 24–30: The Basketball Window Opens, Hockey Heads Home
As the month winds down, attention shifts toward team sports and youth development the backbone of India’s LA28 campaign.
Between November 24 and December 2, India begins its journey in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 Qualifiers. Drawn in Group D with Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar, India’s immediate target is clear secure early wins against regional rivals to stay competitive through the six qualification windows that span 15 months. Early success here not only boosts ranking stability but also sets a foundation for Olympic basketball aspirations, as the 2027 World Cup doubles as an LA28 qualifier.
In football, India faces Bangladesh in an AFC Asian Cup Qualifier, a high-stakes regional rivalry essential for maintaining momentum toward the continental championship. A composed defensive display from stalwarts Gurpreet Singh Sandhu and Sandesh Jhingan, along with leadership from Sunil Chhetri, could make the difference in this critical tie.
As the senior hockey team battles in Malaysia, back home in Tamil Nadu (Nov 28–Dec 10), the spotlight shifts to the FIH Men’s Junior World Cup hosted in Chennai and Madurai. Featuring an expanded 24-team format, it’s the largest edition ever, and India enters as both host and medal contender. For Hockey India, a podium finish is essential both as validation of its developmental systems and as an audition for the next generation of senior team players.
Elsewhere, Indian squash players wrap up the HKFC Squash Open (Nov 25–29), a PSA Silver event offering vital recovery points after the intensity of Shanghai’s Gold event earlier in the month. Finally, the Junior World Artistic Gymnastics Championships (Nov 20–24, Philippines) conclude India’s November journey, offering a glimpse into the country’s emerging gymnastic talent pool. Performances here serve as early indicators of whether India’s investment in youth programs is beginning to bear fruit for the 2030s competitive cycle.
- ITF Men’s M25 (Tennis) — Nov 24–30
- HKFC Open (Squash) — Nov 25–29
- Khelo India University Games (Multisports) — Nov 25–Dec 5
- Syed Modi India International (Badminton) — Nov 25–30
- AFC Asian Cup U17 Q – Chinese Taipei vs India — Nov 26
- AFC Champions League 2 — Al-Zawraa vs FC Goa Nov 26
- 2027 FIBA WC Qualifier – IND vs KSA (Basketball) — Nov 27
- AFC Asian Cup U17 Q – Lebanon vs India — Nov 28
- Men’s FIH Hockey Junior World Cup (Hockey) — Nov 28–Dec 10
- ITTF Mixed Team World Cup (Table Tennis) — Nov 29–Dec 7
- 2027 FIBA WC Qualifier – IND vs KSA (Basketball) — Nov 30
- AFC Asian Cup U17 Q – Iran vs India — Nov 30
By the end of November 2025, India’s sporting apparatus will have undergone its most compressed test in recent memory juggling major home events in chess, tennis, and hockey while competing abroad in badminton, squash, and basketball. Success this month won’t be measured solely in medals but in structural efficiency: how well federations manage parallel priorities, optimize athlete recovery, and translate opportunity into progress.
From Goa to Chennai, from Kumamoto to Kuala Lumpur, November 2025 is not merely another month in the calendar it is the true launchpad for India’s LA 2028 mission.
