New Delhi, August 11, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
As many as 30 teams from across the country will compete in the 16th Hockey India Junior Women National Championship 2026, scheduled to be held in Pune, Maharashtra, from August 12 to 23.
The championship will be conducted across three divisions — Division A, Division B and Division C — providing teams with opportunities to compete for the national title as well as earn promotion or face relegation within the domestic structure.
Hockey India President Dilip Kumar Tirkey said the Junior Women National Championship would serve as an important platform for identifying and developing the next generation of Indian hockey players.
“With teams competing across three divisions, the tournament will provide young players with valuable competitive exposure while strengthening the domestic pathway,” Tirkey said.
Hockey India Secretary General Bhola Nath Singh said the participation of teams from across the country reflected the growing reach of the championship.
The Division A competition features 12 teams divided into four pools. Pool A comprises Hockey Jharkhand, Hockey Punjab and Hockey Chandigarh; Pool B has Hockey Haryana, Hockey Odisha Association and Hockey Bengal; Pool C includes Uttar Pradesh Hockey, Hockey Maharashtra and Manipur Hockey; while Pool D consists of Chhattisgarh Hockey, Hockey Madhya Pradesh and Hockey Himachal.
The Division A league phase begins on August 16, with teams playing within their respective pools. The top two teams from each pool will advance to the knockout stage. The quarter-finals and semi-finals are scheduled for August 21, followed by a rest day on August 22. The third-place playoff and final will be played on August 23.
The 12 Division A teams will compete for the national championship, while the teams finishing 11th and 12th will be relegated to Division B for the next edition.
Division B comprises 10 teams split into two pools. Pool A features Hockey Andhra Pradesh, Assam Hockey, Delhi Hockey, Kerala Hockey and Hockey Mizoram. Pool B includes Hockey Karnataka, Hockey Uttarakhand, Hockey Unit of Tamil Nadu, Hockey Bihar and Goans Hockey.
The top two Division B teams will earn promotion to Division A, while the bottom two will be relegated to Division C.
Division C has eight teams divided into two pools. Pool A consists of Hockey Arunachal, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu Hockey, Hockey Rajasthan and Tripura Olympic Association. Pool B features Le Puducherry Hockey, Hockey Gujarat, Hockey Jammu & Kashmir and Telangana Hockey.
The two highest-ranked teams in Division C will be promoted to Division B for the next edition.
The championship begins on August 12 with Division B and Division C matches. Division A action starts on August 16, with Hockey Jharkhand taking on Hockey Chandigarh, Hockey Haryana facing Hockey Bengal, Uttar Pradesh Hockey meeting Manipur Hockey, and Chhattisgarh Hockey playing Hockey Himachal.
The tournament is expected to provide young players with valuable exposure against teams from across the country while giving emerging state teams a pathway to progress through the national competition structure.
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