Jhansi to Host 16th Hockey India Senior Men National Championship
The 16th Hockey India senior men's National Championship 2026 kicks off in Jhansi with 29 teams battling across three divisions for national glory.
The eyes of the Indian hockey fraternity turn toward Uttar Pradesh as the 16th Hockey India senior men's National Championship 2026 is set to commence in Jhansi on October 10. This prestigious tournament will see 29 teams from across the nation battling it out across three distinct divisions for domestic supremacy.
The championship, which runs until October 21, promises a high-octane fortnight of action. While the lower divisions begin their campaign immediately on October 10, the elite Division ‘A’ action is scheduled to ignite on October 14.
The Road to Glory: Division Structure and Rankings
Following the format established by previous rankings, the tournament is structured into three tiers to ensure competitive parity and provide a platform for rising talent.
Division ‘A’: The Elite Battle
The top tier features 12 powerhouse teams divided into four pools of three teams each. The competition in this division is expected to be fierce as teams look to secure a spot in the knockout stages.
- Pool A: Hockey Punjab, Hockey Unit of Tamil Nadu, and Hockey Bengal.
- Pool B: Hockey Madhya Pradesh, Hockey Maharashtra, and Le Puducherry Hockey.
- Pool C: Uttar Pradesh Hockey, Hockey Karnataka, and Hockey Chandigarh.
- Pool D: Manipur Hockey, Hockey Haryana, and Delhi Hockey.
The top two teams from each pool will advance to the Quarter-Finals on October 18, followed by the Semi-Finals on October 19. The grand finale for Division ‘A’ will take place on the final day of the tournament, October 21.
Division ‘B’ and ‘C’: The Rising Contenders
Division ‘B’ consists of 10 teams split into two pools:
- Pool A: Hockey Association of Odisha, Assam Hockey, Kerala Hockey, Hockey Uttarakhand, and Chhattisgarh Hockey.
- Pool B: Hockey Jharkhand, Telangana Hockey, Goans Hockey, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu Hockey, and Hockey Arunachal.
Division ‘C' features seven teams competing in two pools:
- Pool A: Hockey Mizoram, Hockey Himachal, and Hockey Jammu & Kashmir.
- Pool B: Hockey Andhra Pradesh, Hockey Rajasthan, Bihar (BSSA), and Hockey Gujarat.
Defending Champions and Past Glory
As the 2026 edition begins, all eyes are on Hockey Punjab. They enter the tournament as the defending champions, having secured the title at the 15th Hockey India Senior Men National Championship 2025 by defeating Hockey Madhya Pradesh 4-1 in the final.
In the previous year's podium standings, Uttar Pradesh Hockey claimed the third spot after a convincing 5-1 victory over Manipur Hockey in the third-place playoff. The upcoming championship in Jhansi offers these teams, and many more, a chance to rewrite the history books and claim national honours.