Archive · 9 Aug 2026
Odisha clinch 16th Hockey India Junior Men National Championship title
In India, there is a big hockey tournament just for young players called the Hockey India Junior Men National Championship.
Teams from different states play against each other.
The final match was between teams from Odisha and Madhya Pradesh.
They played in Coimbatore, a city in Tamil Nadu.
Odisha scored very early, just two minutes into the game.
Madhya Pradesh worked hard and tied the score in the 37th minute.
Then Odisha's captain scored to make it 2-1.
Odisha held on and won the championship.
A team from Punjab won the third-place match by beating Jharkhand 6-3.
Hockey Association of Odisha defeated Hockey Madhya Pradesh 2-1 in the final of the 16th Hockey India Junior Men National Championship 2026 - Division 'A' in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu.
Mandeep Kerketta opened the scoring in the second minute, giving Odisha an early lead.
Sohil Ali equalised for Madhya Pradesh in the 37th minute, but Odisha captain Deepak Pradhan regained the lead in the 45th minute.
Odisha defended resolutely in the closing stages to preserve their 2-1 advantage until the final hooter and clinch the title.
Hockey Punjab secured the bronze medal with a 6-3 win over Hockey Jharkhand, as Patras Hassa scored a hat-trick for Jharkhand.
- Who
- Hockey Association of Odisha and Hockey Madhya Pradesh (final), plus Hockey Punjab and Hockey Jharkhand (third-place match)
- What
- The final of the 16th Hockey India Junior Men National Championship 2026 - Division 'A'
- When
- 2026 (exact date not stated in the articles)
- Where
- Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu
- Why
- To decide the national junior men's hockey champions, with Odisha crowned champions via a 2-1 victory.
- Champions
- Hockey Association of Odisha
- Runners-up
- Hockey Madhya Pradesh
- Final score
- Odisha 2-1 Madhya Pradesh
- Odisha scorers
- Mandeep Kerketta (2'), Deepak Pradhan (45')
- Madhya Pradesh scorer
- Sohil Ali (37')
- Third place
- Hockey Punjab (6-3 over Hockey Jharkhand)
- Venue
- Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu
- Event
- 16th Hockey India Junior Men National Championship 2026 - Division 'A'
