Archive · 19 Sep 2026
Indian Hockey Teams Chase Asian Games Gold, Olympic Qualification
India’s men’s and women’s hockey teams are playing in the Asian Games.
Both teams want to win gold medals.
The articles say a gold medal would give the winners direct qualification for an Olympic Games, but they disagree on whether this means Paris or Los Angeles.
The men are the defending champions and are ranked eighth in the world.
They hope to recover after finishing eighth at the recent World Cup.
Japan and South Korea are expected to be difficult opponents.
The women finished fifth at the World Cup, their best result in 52 years.
China is seen as their biggest challenge.
The coaches want the players to learn from the World Cup and focus on performing well now.
India’s men’s and women’s hockey teams are seeking Asian Games gold and direct Olympic qualification.
The men’s team will defend its title after finishing eighth at the recent FIH World Cup.
India is the highest-ranked men’s team but faces Japan and South Korea in its pool.
The women’s team finished fifth at the World Cup, its best result in 52 years.
China, ranked fourth in the world, is considered the main threat to India’s women.
- Who
- India’s men’s and women’s hockey teams, coached by Craig Fulton and Sjoerd Marijne.
- What
- They are competing for Asian Games hockey gold and direct Olympic qualification.
- When
- The campaigns begin on Sunday; the men play from September 22 to September 28 after their opening match, while the women play from September 21 to September 27 after their opener.
- Where
- At the Asian Games in Japan, with the articles also referring to the Hangzhou Asian Games.
- Why
- Gold would secure direct Olympic qualification, while India’s teams also want to defend or improve their previous Asian Games results.
India’s Medal Case
Rivals’ Challenge
Men’s title defense
India’s Medal Case
India is the highest-ranked team, is the reigning champion and has a record of strong results against several regional opponents.
Rivals’ Challenge
Japan and South Korea are described as the men’s key pool-stage tests, while India must correct weaknesses exposed by its World Cup eighth-place finish.
Women’s gold bid
India’s Medal Case
India’s fifth-place World Cup finish, improved defense and recent results against China, South Korea and Japan support its medal hopes.
Rivals’ Challenge
China is ranked fourth in the world, finished as an Olympic silver medallist according to the articles, and is considered the competition’s strongest team.
- Men’s ranking
- India is ranked eighth in the world and is the highest-ranked men’s team in the competition.
- Men’s recent result
- India finished eighth at the recent FIH World Cup in the Netherlands and Belgium.
- Men’s title record
- India is a four-time Asian Games men’s champion and the reigning champion.
- Men’s pool
- India is in Pool A with Japan, South Korea, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Indonesia.
- Women’s recent result
- India finished fifth at the recent World Cup, its best finish in 52 years.
- Women’s main rival
- China is ranked fourth in the world and is identified as India’s biggest threat.
- Women’s medal record
- India’s women won the Asian Games gold medal once, in 1982, and finished third at the previous Asian Games.
- Qualification discrepancy
- The articles describe Asian Games gold as securing direct Olympic qualification but refer inconsistently to Paris and Los Angeles.
