The Indian men’s hockey team has departed for Japan as it begins preparations to defend its Asian Games crown at the upcoming Aichi-Nagoya Games.
Led by captain Harmanpreet Singh, India will enter the tournament as the defending champions, with the team aiming to retain its continental supremacy and secure a direct qualification pathway to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
The 2026 Asian Games are scheduled to be held in Japan from September 19 to October 4.
India begins title defence
India qualified for the men’s hockey competition after finishing among the top six teams at the previous edition of the Asian Games.
The team heads to Japan after a strong run in continental hockey. India won the 2025 Men’s Hockey Asia Cup final against South Korea, securing qualification for the 2026 FIH Hockey World Cup in the process.
The Asian Games will provide another major test for Harmanpreet and his teammates, with the defending champions expected to face strong competition from Asia’s leading hockey nations.
Olympic qualification adds to the stakes
The Asian Games carry added significance because the hockey tournament is linked to qualification for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.
India will therefore be chasing more than another Asian Games gold medal in Japan. A successful campaign would strengthen the team’s position in its bid to secure a place at the next Olympic Games.
The tournament will also offer India an opportunity to build momentum after the 2026 World Cup, where the men’s team finished eighth.
Blue jerseys return for Asian Games
India will also return to its traditional blue jerseys at the Asian Games after wearing saffron-coloured kits during the recent World Cups.
Hockey India president Dilip Tirkey confirmed that blue was selected as the first-choice kit after the Indian Olympic Association sought preferences from the federation. Orange was retained as the second choice.
The decision ends, for now, the controversy surrounding the switch away from the traditional blue kit.
With the squad now in Japan, attention will shift from the jersey debate to the bigger challenge ahead — defending India’s Asian Games title and keeping the Olympic qualification campaign on track.
