New Delhi, March 31 The 16th Hockey India Sub Junior Women National Championship 2026 is scheduled to start on April 1 in Ranchi, Jharkhand. It will continue until April 12 and will feature a division-based format, a competitive structure introduced by Hockey India across national championships last year.
Division ‘A’ consists of 12 teams split into four pools. The knockout rounds start on April 9 and conclude with the Final on April 12. Hockey Jharkhand, the host, leads Pool A, joined by Bihar (BSSA) and Hockey Maharashtra. Pool B features Hockey Odisha, Hockey Punjab, and Hockey Andhra Pradesh. In Pool C, teams from Hockey Haryana, Hockey Madhya Pradesh, and Manipur Hockey compete. Pool D includes Hockey Mizoram, Uttar Pradesh Hockey, and Chhattisgarh Hockey.
Division ‘B’ will operate on a league format from April 1-6, with teams divided into two pools. Pool A comprises Delhi Hockey, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu Hockey, Hockey Unit of Tamil Nadu, Hockey Bengal, and Assam Hockey. Pool B consists of Hockey Chandigarh, Hockey Uttarakhand, Hockey Gujarat, Hockey Karnataka, and Hockey Himachal.
Division ‘C’ will be held in a league format from April 1-4. Pool A features Kerala Hockey, Telangana Hockey, and Goans Hockey, whereas Pool B includes Hockey Jammu & Kashmir, Le Puducherry Hockey, RAJ, and Tripura Olympic Association.
Matches will take place at the Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Astroturf Hockey Stadium in Ranchi. In all divisions, teams earn three points for a win, 1 point for a draw, and 0 points for a loss. In Division ‘A’, tied knockout matches will be decided through shoot-outs following FIH rules.
Speaking ahead of the tournament, Hockey India president Dilip Tirkey said, “The Sub Junior Women National Championship is an important platform for identifying and nurturing young talent. With the division-based format, players get exposure to high-quality competition, and it also ensures a pathway for growth through promotion. I wish all the teams the very best.”
Hockey India Secretary General Bhola Nath Singh added, “This tournament plays a key role in strengthening the grassroots structure of Indian hockey. It is encouraging to see participation from across the country, and we are confident that the championship will showcase the next generation of talented players.”
The tournament's opening day will feature Hockey Jammu Kashmir against Le Puducherry Hockey at 6 am, followed by Delhi Hockey versus Hockey Bengal at 7:45 am. The third match, scheduled for 9:30 am, will be between Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu Hockey and Assam Hockey. At 2:45 PM, Hockey Chandigarh will face Hockey Karnataka, and the day's closing game at 4:30 PM. will see Hockey Uttarakhand competing against Hockey Himachal.
--IANS
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