New Delhi
The 14th Senior Men’s Hockey National Championship will kick off today (Monday) at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Hockey Stadium in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. The tournament, featuring 31 teams divided into eight pools, will run until Nov 16.
In the league stage, each team will face others in their pool, with the top teams moving to the quarterfinals on November 13. The semifinals are scheduled for Nov 15, and the final and 3rd place play-off will be held on Nov 16.
Pool A includes defending champions Hockey Punjab, while other pools feature teams like Hockey Haryana, Hockey Karnataka, Hockey Odisha, and Hockey Jharkhand. The tournament opens with matches between Uttar Pradesh Hockey and Kerala Hockey, as well as Hockey Karnataka and Hockey Uttarakhand.
Hockey India President Dilip Tirkey expressed excitement for the event, noting that Chennai’s hockey heritage makes it an ideal host. “This championship showcases top talent from across India and is vital for developing future stars,” he said. Hockey India Secretary General Bhola Nath Singh added that the tournament will deliver high-quality and intense hockey, with strong participation from across the country.
