A total of 30 teams will compete across three divisions in Pune for national glory, promotion, and relegation at the 16th Hockey India Junior Women National Championship 2026.
The 16th Hockey India Junior Women National Championship 2026 is set to get underway in Pune, bringing together 30 teams competing across three divisions through August 23. The tournament features a division-based format where teams will battle for the national title alongside promotion and relegation across Division 'A', Division 'B', and Division 'C'.
Division 'A' features 12 teams divided into four pools: Pool A (Jharkhand, Punjab, Chandigarh), Pool B (Haryana, Odisha, Bengal), Pool C (Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur), and Pool D (Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal). The Division 'A' league stage begins on August 16, with the top two teams from each pool reaching the quarterfinals on August 20. The semifinals follow on August 21, leading up to the final and 3rd-4th place match on August 23. Teams finishing 11th and 12th overall in Division 'A' will be relegated to Division 'B' for the next edition.
Division 'B' consists of 10 teams split into two pools. Pool A features Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Delhi, Kerala, and Mizoram, while Pool B includes Karnataka, Uttarakhand, Tamil Nadu, Bihar, and Goa. The top two teams will earn promotion to Division 'A', while the bottom two will be relegated to Division 'C'.
Division 'C' comprises eight teams divided into two pools. Pool A consists of Arunachal, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, Rajasthan, and Tripura, while Pool B includes Puducherry, Gujarat, Jammu & Kashmir, and Telangana. The top two teams from Division 'C' will secure promotion to Division 'B'.
Highlighting the significance of the structured competition, Hockey India president Dilip Tirkey said, "With teams competing across three divisions, the tournament will provide young players with valuable competitive exposure while strengthening the domestic pathway."
Reporting sourced from The Hindu Hockey. Photo courtesy The Hindu Hockey.