January 1, 2026 marks the beginning of a defining year for Indian hockey, one that blends elite international ambition with a packed competitive calendar across men’s and women’s programmes.
After a year that reinforced India’s standing among the global hockey elite, 2026 presents an opportunity to convert consistency into silverware, with the FIH Hockey World Cup and the Asian Games emerging as the two biggest milestones on the horizon.
The year begins on the domestic front with the second season of the revived Hero Hockey India League (Hero HIL), which has quickly re-established itself as a cornerstone of Indian hockey’s ecosystem. The Women’s Hero HIL, which began in late December, will conclude on January 10 in Ranchi, while the Men’s Hero HIL will run from January 3 to January 26. Matches will be staged across Chennai, Ranchi, and Bhubaneswar, with the final scheduled at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar.
For Hockey India, the league is more than just a commercial success. It serves as a vital talent identification platform, allowing national selectors to monitor domestic and overseas players in high-intensity environments. With international stars once again featuring alongside India’s best, the Hero HIL will play a crucial role in shaping national squads ahead of a demanding international season.
Following the conclusion of the league, attention will shift swiftly to the international calendar, beginning with the FIH Men’s Pro League. India will host the home leg at the Birsa Munda Stadium in Rourkela from February 10 to 15, a venue that has become a fortress for the national side in recent years. These fixtures will be pivotal not only for ranking points but also for testing squad depth and tactical combinations early in the year.
From Rourkela, the men’s team will travel to Australia for the next phase of the Pro League, scheduled from February 21 to 25. Competing in Australian conditions remains one of the toughest challenges in world hockey, and these matches will provide a valuable benchmark of India’s readiness against top-tier opposition. The Pro League campaign will then resume in Europe, with fixtures in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom slated for June, offering further exposure against traditional powerhouses on their home turf.
While the men’s team navigates a long Pro League season, the women’s programme faces an equally critical phase. The FIH Women’s World Cup Qualifiers, to be held in Hyderabad from March 8 to 14, represent the team’s final and most crucial opportunity to secure a berth at the 2026 FIH Women’s World Cup in Belgium and the Netherlands.
The qualifiers will feature a competitive and diverse field, including England, Scotland, Korea, Italy, Uruguay, Wales, and Austria. Playing on home soil brings both opportunity and pressure, as qualification expectations will be high. For the Indian women’s team, the tournament is not only about securing a World Cup spot but also about reaffirming progress made over the last Olympic cycle.
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August will bring the centrepiece of the international calendar: the FIH Hockey World Cup, co-hosted by Belgium and the Netherlands from August 14 to 30. For India, this tournament represents the ultimate test of their long-term planning and performance consistency. Recent Olympic success has raised expectations, and the World Cup will be viewed as a genuine chance to contend for a podium finish rather than merely compete.
The European venues promise fast pitches, vocal crowds, and tactically demanding opposition, conditions that will challenge both the physical and mental resilience of the squad. For the coaching staff, squad rotation, injury management, and peak conditioning will be critical in ensuring that the team arrives at the World Cup in optimal shape.
The season will then transition into its final major chapter with the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, scheduled from September 19 to October 4. As defending champions, the Indian men’s team will carry the weight of expectation, knowing that an Asian Games gold medal also secures direct qualification for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
Asian Games hockey has traditionally been fiercely competitive, with regional rivals elevating their performance in multi-sport environments. Retaining the title will require tactical discipline, experience under pressure, and effective use of squad depth built throughout the year.
Beyond the marquee events, Hockey India continues to place strong emphasis on grassroots development and long-term sustainability. An extensive domestic calendar is planned to ensure competitive exposure for junior and emerging players, bridging the gap between age-group hockey and the senior national setup. This approach remains central to India’s vision of maintaining depth across both men’s and women’s teams in an increasingly competitive global landscape.
As 2026 unfolds, Indian hockey finds itself at a critical juncture—armed with experience, infrastructure, and expectation. The challenge now lies in translating preparation into performance, and promise into podium finishes, across a year that could shape the trajectory of Indian hockey well into the next Olympic cycle.
Indian Hockey Team Calendar – 2026
- Women’s Hero Hockey India League: December 28, 2025 – January 10, 2026
- Men’s Hero Hockey India League: January 3 – January 26, 2026
- FIH Men’s Pro League (India – Rourkela): February 10 – February 15, 2026
- FIH Men’s Pro League (Australia): February 21 – February 25, 2026
- FIH Men’s Pro League (Netherlands & UK): June 14 – June 28, 2026
- Women’s World Cup Qualifiers (Hyderabad): March 8 – March 14, 2026
- FIH Hockey World Cup (Belgium & Netherlands): August 15 – August 30, 2026
- 20th Asian Games, Aichi-Nagoya: September 19 – October 4, 2026
- FIH Nations Cup: Dates to be confirmed
