The Asian Games hockey 2026 schedule runs from September 18 to October 3 at the Gifu Prefectural Green Stadium in Kakamigahara, Gifu Prefecture, Japan, as part of the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026. Defending men’s champions India have been drawn away from arch-rivals Pakistan, and this page covers the complete asian games hockey 2026 schedule-men’s and women’s pools, India’s fixtures, IST timings, knockout dates, venue details, and where to watch every match live.
Hockey has been an Asian Games staple for decades, and the Aichi-Nagoya edition carries extra weight this time: the men’s competition doubles as a direct qualifier for the LA 2028 Olympics. With the asian games 2026 hockey draw now finalised, fans searching for the hockey asian games 2026 fixtures, groups, and India’s exact match dates will find the full breakdown below.
Asian Games Hockey 2026 Schedule at a Glance
Here is the quick-reference asian games hockey 2026 schedule before the detailed breakdown.
| Phase | Dates | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| Pool stage (men & women) | September 18-28, 2026 | Gifu Prefectural Green Stadium, Kakamigahara, Japan |
| Women’s medal matches | October 2, 2026 | Gifu Prefectural Green Stadium, Kakamigahara, Japan |
| Men’s semi-finals | October 1, 2026 | Gifu Prefectural Green Stadium, Kakamigahara, Japan |
| Men’s medal matches | October 3, 2026 | Gifu Prefectural Green Stadium, Kakamigahara, Japan |
Both the men’s and women’s tournaments share a single venue, which keeps the asian games hockey 2026 action concentrated in one arena across more than two weeks of competition-among the longest windows of any sport at these Games.
Asian Games Hockey 2026 Venue
Every hockey match at the 2026 Asian Games, men’s and women’s, is being staged at the Gifu Prefectural Green Stadium in Kakamigahara, Gifu Prefecture-one of the venue clusters supporting the wider Aichi-Nagoya Games outside the two host cities. Playing every match at one venue simplifies travel for the twelve competing nations and keeps the asian games hockey 2026 schedule consistent for broadcasters and fans alike.
Asian Games 2026 Hockey Format: How the Competition Works
The asian games 2026 hockey tournament features two medal events-a men’s team competition and a women’s team competition, each split into two pools of six teams for the round-robin pool stage. India and Pakistan were deliberately kept apart in the men’s draw, meaning the two rivals can only meet in the semi-finals or a medal match if both advance.
Here is how the format plays out for the men’s event, which has an official day-by-day schedule already published:
- Pool stage (Sept 18-28): Each team plays every other team in its six-team pool once.
- Semi-finals (Oct 1): The top finishers from each pool cross over for a place in the final.
- Medal matches (Oct 3): Bronze medal match at 6:30 PM IST, followed by the gold medal match at 9:00 PM IST.
The women’s tournament follows the same pool-into-knockout structure, with medal matches confirmed for October 2-a day ahead of the men’s finale, so fans get back-to-back hockey final 2026 action across the closing days of the Games.
India’s Hockey Legacy at the Asian Games
India’s men’s team arrives in Aichi-Nagoya as the defending Asian Games champion, having won gold at the previous edition, and Hockey India has openly framed this tournament as a title defence built around the LA 2028 Olympic qualification prize on offer. Ranked highest among the twelve men’s teams entered, India is the clear favourite in Pool A, though Olympic and World Cup-tested sides like South Korea and Japan stand in the way of an easy run to the final.
On the women’s side, India’s team is chasing a return to the Asian Games podium in a tightly contested Pool B that includes Olympic-experienced Japan, making every asian games hockey 2026 results update in the group stage worth tracking closely.
Asian Games 2026 Hockey Groups: Men’s and Women’s Pools
The draw for the asian games hockey 2026 schedule has placed India in the following pools:
Men’s Pool A
- India
- Japan
- South Korea
- Bangladesh
- Sri Lanka
- Indonesia
Men’s Pool B
- Pakistan
- Malaysia
- China
- Oman
- Uzbekistan
- Thailand
Women’s Pool A
- China
- South Korea
- Malaysia
- Kazakhstan
- Chinese Taipei
- Bangladesh
Women’s Pool B (India’s pool)
- India
- Japan
- Thailand
- Singapore
- Indonesia
- Uzbekistan
Keeping India and Pakistan in separate men’s pools was a deliberate organisational call, and it means the asian games men’s hockey schedule only produces an India-Pakistan clash if both teams reach the semi-finals or a medal match.
India Hockey Fixtures in IST: Men’s Match-by-Match Schedule
India’s men’s pool-stage fixtures are officially confirmed. Fans tracking the asian games hockey 2026 schedule in Indian Standard Time can use the table below.
| Date | India Men vs | IST Time |
|---|---|---|
| September 20 | Indonesia | 4:30 PM |
| September 22 | Sri Lanka | TBC |
| September 24 | South Korea | TBC |
| September 26 | Japan | TBC |
| September 28 | Bangladesh | TBC |
India’s women’s pool matches against Japan, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia and Uzbekistan fall within the same September 18-28 pool-stage window; exact match-by-match dates and IST kick-off times will be added here as soon as the Asian Hockey Federation publishes the women’s daily fixture list.
Semi-Final and Final Dates for Asian Games Hockey 2026
Once the pool stage wraps up in late September, the knockout rounds follow:
| Date | Round | IST Time |
|---|---|---|
| October 1 | Men’s semi-finals | 6:30 PM and 9:00 PM |
| October 2 | Women’s medal matches | TBC |
| October 3 | Men’s bronze medal match | 6:30 PM |
| October 3 | Men’s gold medal match | 9:00 PM |
If India top Pool A as expected, the men’s team should carry momentum straight into the October 1 semi-finals with a genuine shot at defending their title on October 3. The asian games hockey final 2026 for the men’s event is one of the standout closing fixtures of the entire Games, alongside the LA 2028 qualification stakes riding on it.
Indian Hockey Team for Asian Games 2026: Men’s Squad
Harmanpreet Singh captains a 20-member men’s squad built around India’s core group from recent Olympic and Asia Cup campaigns. For the full list of Indian athletes across every sport, see our guide to Indian athletes qualified for Asian Games 2026.
India Men’s Squad
Mohith HS, Suraj Karkera (goalkeepers); Jarmanpreet Singh, Harmanpreet Singh, Amit Rohidas, Jugraj Singh, Sanjay, Sumit, Yashdeep Siwach (defenders); Rajinder Singh, Raj Kumar Pal, Hardik Singh, Manpreet Singh, Nilakanta Sharma, Vivek Sagar Prasad (midfielders); Dilpreet Singh, Shilanand Lakra, Sukhjeet Singh, Mandeep Singh, Abhishek (forwards).
Drag-flick specialist Harmanpreet Singh leads a defence-first setup, while Hardik Singh and Vivek Sagar Prasad anchor the midfield that has powered India’s recent Olympic and Asia Cup runs. The women’s squad, led into this cycle by Salima Tete in India’s recent international assignments, will look to spring an upset in a Pool B that features Olympic regulars Japan.
Where to Watch Asian Games Hockey 2026 Live in India
Sony Pictures Networks India holds the exclusive broadcast and streaming rights for the entire 20th Asian Games, including every hockey match. Indian fans can follow the complete asian games hockey 2026 schedule through these options:
- TV: Live telecast on Sony Sports Network channels.
- Streaming: Live streaming on the SonyLIV app and website.
- Live results: Official standings and asian games hockey 2026 results updates via the Asian Hockey Federation and the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 organising committee.
With evening kick-off times for most of India’s confirmed men’s matches, this schedule is far friendlier for prime-time viewing in India than several other sports at these Games.
Asian Games Hockey 2026 Schedule: FAQs
When does the Asian Games hockey 2026 schedule start?
Hockey competition at the 2026 Asian Games runs from September 18 to October 3, covering both the men’s and women’s pool stages and knockout rounds.
Where is hockey being played at the 2026 Asian Games?
All hockey matches, men’s and women’s, are held at the Gifu Prefectural Green Stadium in Kakamigahara, Gifu Prefecture, Japan.
Which pool is India in for hockey at the Asian Games 2026?
India’s men are in Pool A with Japan, South Korea, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Indonesia. India’s women are in Pool B with Japan, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia and Uzbekistan.
Why aren’t India and Pakistan playing each other in the group stage?
The draw deliberately placed the men’s teams in separate pools, so India and Pakistan can only meet in the semi-finals or a medal match if both sides advance.
When is the Asian Games hockey final 2026?
The men’s gold medal match is scheduled for October 3, 2026 at 9:00 PM IST, following the bronze medal match at 6:30 PM IST. The women’s medal matches are set for October 2, 2026.
Is India the defending champion in hockey at the Asian Games?
India’s men’s team enters as the defending Asian Games gold medallist and highest-ranked side in the twelve-team men’s field.
Where can I watch the Asian Games hockey 2026 schedule matches live in India?
Every match is available live on Sony Sports Network TV channels and via streaming on the SonyLIV app in India.
For the full multi-sport lineup, check the complete Asian Games 2026 India schedule, and see our Asian Games Kabaddi Schedule 2026 for another of India’s top medal hopes.
Sources: Asian Hockey Federation, Business Standard, Outlook India, Wikipedia.
