Asiad 2026: India hockey teams' full schedule, squads, match timings

India’s men’s and women’s hockey teams will look to secure gold medals at the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya and earn direct qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

The Indian women made a statement in their opening match on Sunday, thrashing Uzbekistan 19-0 in Pool B . Salima Tete’s side dominated from start to finish, scoring four goals in the first quarter, another four before half-time, eight in the third quarter and three more in the final period.

Check Asian Games 2026 September 20 India schedule, medal events, live streaming here

The men’s team, led by Harmanpreet Singh, will begin its title defence against Indonesia at 11:30 am IST on September 20 . India had won gold at the previous Asian Games in Hangzhou.

The women, meanwhile, are chasing their first Asian Games gold since 1982. Their commanding opening victory provided an ideal start to that pursuit after a strong fifth-place finish at the 2026 Women’s Hockey World Cup.

The men’s team finished eighth at the 2026 World Cup and will be looking to rediscover its best form in Aichi-Nagoya.

India’s men are drawn in Pool A alongside Japan, Korea, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Indonesia. The women are in Pool B with Japan, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia and Uzbekistan.

Each category features 12 teams split into two pools of six , with the top two teams from each pool advancing to the semi-finals.

India’s men have enjoyed a rich history in hockey at the Asian Games since the sport was introduced in 1958. Except for the 2006 edition, when they finished fifth, India have returned with at least a medal from every edition.

The men’s team have won four gold, nine silver and three bronze medals at the Asian Games. They enter Aichi-Nagoya as the defending champions after winning gold at Hangzhou.

The Indian women’s team entered the Asian Games after finishing fifth at the 2026 Women’s Hockey World Cup in Belgium and the Netherlands.

Women’s hockey was introduced at the Asian Games in 1982, when India won their only gold medal in the event. The tournament was played in New Delhi.

India later won silver medals in 1998 and 2018, along with bronze medals in 1986, 2006, 2014 and Hangzhou.

The women began their Aichi-Nagoya campaign in dominant fashion, beating Uzbekistan 19-0 . India enjoyed 62 per cent possession and won 19 penalty corners in the one-sided Pool B contest.