3 weeks ago
30 Teams Compete in 16th Junior Women's National Hockey Championship
The Hockey India Junior Women's National Championship is a big hockey competition for young women players.
This year is the 16th time the tournament is happening.
It will take place in Pune, a city in Maharashtra, India.
Thirty teams from all over India will play in the tournament.
The teams are split into three groups called Division A, Division B, and Division C. Division A has the strongest teams, while Division C has teams working their way up.
The tournament starts on August 12 and ends on August 23.
Teams can move up to a higher division or drop down to a lower one based on how they play.
The Division A winner becomes the national champion.
It is a great chance for young players to show their skills and grow as hockey players.
The 16th Hockey India Junior Women National Championship 2026 will be held in Pune, Maharashtra, from August 12 to August 23.
Thirty teams will compete across three divisions: Division A with 12 teams, Division B with 10 teams, and Division C with 8 teams.
Division A's league stage begins August 16, with quarter-finals reported as August 20 in one article and August 21 in another.
Promotion and relegation are at stake: the bottom two Division A teams drop to Division B, while the top two Division B teams move up to Division A.
Hockey India president Dilip Kumar Tirkey and secretary general Bhola Nath Singh said the tournament will nurture the next generation of Indian hockey talent.
- Who
- Hockey India, led by president Dilip Kumar Tirkey and secretary general Bhola Nath Singh, along with 30 junior women's state teams from across India.
- What
- The 16th Hockey India Junior Women National Championship 2026, a three-division national tournament featuring promotion and relegation.
- Where
- Pune, Maharashtra.
- When
- August 12 to August 23, 2026; the Division A league stage begins on August 16.
- Why
- To identify and nurture the next generation of Indian hockey talent and provide valuable competitive exposure through the domestic pathway.
Key facts
- Tournament
- 16th Hockey India Junior Women National Championship 2026
- Dates
- August 12-23, 2026
- Location
- Pune, Maharashtra
- Teams
- 30 teams across three divisions
- Divisions
- A (12 teams), B (10 teams), C (8 teams)
- Division A league start
- August 16
- Final
- August 23
- Quarter-finals
- August 20 (per one report) or August 21 (per another)
Quotes
Dilip Kumar Tirkey
President of Hockey India
“The Junior Women National Championship is an important platform for identifying and nurturing the next generation of Indian hockey talent. With teams competing across three divisions, the tournament will provide young players with valuable competitive exposure while strengthening the domestic pathway.”
theprint.in
thehansindia.com
“We are pleased to see teams from across the country coming together for this championship. The division-based format encourages healthy competition and gives teams an opportunity to progress through the national structure. We look forward to an exciting tournament in Pune.”
thehansindia.com
Sources
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