The decision follows months of debate over whether India should prioritise the Asian Games, which offer direct qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, over the World Cup. Earlier this year, Give Me Hockey examined the implications of that choice. Read: India’s Big Call: Chase World Cup Glory or Secure Olympic Qualification?

While speculation continues about whether India may field two separate men’s teams for the two tournaments, chief coach Sjoerd Marijne has confirmed the women’s core group will remain the same across both.

“We have thought about this process. We have experience from 2018, it was the same. So what I see is one tournament is going to help the other one. The Asian Games is the most important for us as it is a direct qualifier for the Olympics,” he told PTI.

“There is nothing better than playing matches under pressure at the World Cup and use that knowledge in the Asian Games.”

Salima Tete continues as captain after leading India to the FIH Nations Cup title last month with an unbeaten run in New Zealand. Savita and Bichu Devi Kharibam are the two goalkeepers, with Savita having recently received the Padma Shri.

Baljeet Kaur and Beauty Dungdung replace Sonam and Annu in the only two changes from the Nations Cup-winning squad. Both bring considerable international experience to a squad preparing for back-to-back major tournaments, with the Asian Games offering direct qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

“This group of players has shown that they have the right form and fitness in recent months. We are confident that this team is ready for the challenge at the Asian Games,” Marijne said in a statement released by Hockey India.

Taeke Taekema joins India coaching staff for Asian Games 2026

Dutch penalty corner specialist Taeke Taekema will be with the squad for both the World Cup and the Asian Games.

Taekema served as assistant coach of China’s women’s team from 2022 to 2024, helping the side win the silver medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics. This is going to be Taekema’s second stint with the Indian women hockey team. Back in 2025 under coach Harendra Singh, Taekema, conducted a seven-day camp from February 10 to 16 ahead of India’s FIH Pro League matches in Bhubaneswar, where the team faced England, Germany, the Netherlands, and Spain. The camp, attended by Deepika, Manisha Chauhan, Sonam, Annu, and a few junior players, focused on refining technique and improving drag-flick accuracy.

Deepika finished as the top scorer at the FIH Nations Cup with six goals, all from penalty corners. Taekema’s arrival adds one of the game’s most accomplished drag-flick specialists to India’s coaching staff ahead of the World Cup and Asian Games.

India’s 20-member squad for the 2026 Asian Games

Goalkeepers: Savita, Bichu Devi Kharibam

Defenders: Ishika Chaudhary, Sushila Chanu Pukhrambam, Lalthantluangi, Jyoti, Shilpi Dabas

Midfielders: Nikki Pradhan, Sakshi Rana, Sunelita Toppo, Salima Tete (C), Neha, Deepika Soreng

Forwards: Lalremsiami, Rutuja Dadaso Pisal, Navneet Kaur, Deepika, Ishika, Baljeet Kaur, Beauty Dungdung

While we wait for India’s World Cup squads, you can make your own selections using the Give Me Hockey Squad Selector. Pick your India men’s and women’s squads, share them on social media, and compare your choices once the official teams are announced.

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<p>The post Hockey India Names 20-Member Women’s Squad for 2026 Asian Games first appeared on Give Me Hockey.</p>

The FIH Nations Cup 2026 Final

Both goals came in the first quarter. Navneet Kaur opened the scoring in the 4th minute, converting a penalty corner. India doubled their lead in the 15th minute when Sunelita Toppo deflected in a Deepika penalty corner strike.

What followed was a defensive masterclass. India conceded just one penalty corner in the entire match, as New Zealand spent the rest of the game chasing the contest without ever threatening a way back. By the third quarter, the frustration on the hosts’ faces was visible. India’s defence gave them nothing.

Lalremsiami was named Player of the Match. Deepika Soreng stood out across large parts of the game, her composure in defence repeatedly breaking up New Zealand’s attempts to build pressure.

Read More: Tim White Gets His First Real Test: India Junior Women Head to UK for Seven-Match Tour

An Unbeaten Campaign

India won all five matches in the tournament. They opened with a dramatic comeback against the USA, coming from 0-2 down to win 3-2. A 2-1 win over Japan followed, before a 3-2 win over Uruguay sealed top spot in Pool A. India then routed Chile 6-0 in the semi-final before completing the campaign with the win over New Zealand in the final.

Tournament Results

The Standout Performers

Navneet Kaur was, as usual, the heart of this Indian team. She finished the tournament with 4 goals, 3 from penalty corners and 1 from open play, scoring in the wins over USA, Chile, and New Zealand.

Deepika was officially named the tournament’s top scorer with 6 goals, all from penalty corners. Her goals helped India in crucial moments during the tournament.

But it was India’s defence that left the strongest impression. Across five matches, India conceded only a handful of goals, and in the final against New Zealand, they limited the hosts to a single penalty corner in 60 minutes. Deepika Soreng was the standout among India’s defenders, composed under pressure and rarely beaten throughout the tournament.

Promotion to FIH Pro League

India had been relegated to the Nations Cup after finishing bottom of the 2024-25 FIH Pro League table. This win takes them straight back into the top tier of international hockey, FIH Pro League. With the 2026-27 Pro League season doubling as an Olympic qualifying route, this would give India much needed match practice.

Hockey India Announces Cash Award

Hockey India announced a cash award of INR 3 lakh for each player in the title-winning squad and INR 1.5 lakh for each member of the support staff.

What’s Next for Team India

This Nations Cup campaign was always about more than the trophy. With the FIH World Cup in August and the Asian Games in September both approaching, this unbeaten run in Auckland is exactly the kind of form India will want to carry forward. A team that conceded so little across five matches, including just one penalty corner in the final against a senior host nation, will go into the World Cup with real defensive confidence.

2026 is a big year for Indian hockey. Nations Cup. World Cup. Asian Games. Subscribe to the Give Me Hockey newsletter and follow every step of it. We will be covering every important moment of this journey, from squad announcements to match reports to the bigger questions about where this team is heading. India’s women just won the Nations Cup unbeaten and secured Pro League promotion. The men’s team is fighting for results in the European leg of the Pro League ahead of the World Cup. With both teams building toward August and September, this is the year to be following Indian hockey closely, and we want you with us for all of it. Subscribe and stay informed.

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<p>The post Indian Women Win FIH Nations Cup 2026, Beat New Zealand 2-0 in Final to Secure Pro League Promotion first appeared on Give Me Hockey.</p>

Scotland’s senior team alone is a serious litmus test. Ranked 14th in the world, they recently qualified for their first World Cup in 24 years and held India’s senior side to a 2-2 draw in Hyderabad earlier this year. England and the United States bring their own established junior pathways. With Hockey India looking to accelerate the development of these players toward the senior team, this tour is a real opportunity to understand the group’s strengths and areas that need work.

The Schedule

India open in Edinburgh against Scotland’s senior women’s team before moving to Lilleshall for five matches against the United States U-21, England U-21, and Belgium U-21.

Why This Tour Matters

In May, this site flagged a structural problem facing Indian junior hockey. Hockey India had appointed two well-credentialed foreign coaches, Tim White for the junior women and Frederic Soyez for the junior men, but the 2026 calendar gave them almost nothing to work with. At the time, only the Junior Asia Cup was confirmed for either programme.

This UK tour is the first real sign of that gap closing. Seven matches against three different national programmes in nine days is exactly the kind of calendar density that was missing. It will not fix the broader pattern on its own, junior India has gone from playing four to six tournaments a year in World Cup cycles to just one or two in off years, but it is a meaningful start for a coach who arrived with a clear mandate and very little to execute it against.

Read More: Why Hiring Tim White and Frederic Soyez is Only a Half-Battle

Facing a Senior Side

Facing Scotland’s senior team rather than an U-21 side is the standout decision in this schedule. India’s own senior side is ranked 9th in the world. Scotland sit at 14th, and the two teams already know each other well, having played out a 2-2 draw in World Cup qualifiers in March, a result that contributed to Scotland’s qualification for their first World Cup since 2002.

That gives White’s group senior-level physicality and game management earlier than most junior tours would offer.

White’s Approach

White has been clear about what he wants from this team. “I want to keep the game simple and focus on our collective and individual strengths. We will aim to be a team that values attacking hockey but remains disciplined in our defensive structures. My goal is to produce technically sound players ready to bridge the gap and push for spots in the senior team,” White said in a statement.

International hockey has shifted in recent years toward teams that defend in structured blocks and look to break quickly, rather than committing numbers forward and leaving space in behind. Teams that combine attacking intent with defensive organisation, rather than picking one over the other, are increasingly the ones that compete at the top of the world rankings. Building that habit into players at junior level, rather than trying to coach it in later, is a long-term bet on the kind of hockey India wants to play by the time these players are ready for the senior team.

What’s Next

Beyond this tour, the Junior Asia Cup is confirmed for later in 2026 in Moqi, China, though dates have not yet been announced. The UK tour gives White’s group a genuine measuring stick before that tournament arrives.

Speaking about the broader purpose of the tour, White added: “Tours like these are vital in helping young athletes adapt to international standards, build confidence and develop their understanding of the game in challenging environments.”

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Having lost to Japan in the group stage, India could not have asked for a better response. Sardar Singh’s side finished the tournament with five wins from six matches, including an impressive 5-3 comeback victory over Pakistan in the semi-final.

India’s U18 Asia Cup Stats

The Final

Having been beaten by Japan in the pool stage, India came into the final with something to prove. A penalty corner in just 90 seconds and Tani Purti, impressive from the top of the circle throughout the tournament, wasted no opportunity. 1-0.

Japan grew into the first quarter but the Indian defence denied them. The first quarter ended 1-0 in India’s favour.

The second quarter started brightly for Japan too. They won their first penalty corner and looked threatening. India defended well and struck back. Tani Purti stepped up again in the 28th minute to make it 2-0. Prahalad Rajbhar then broke forward and found Kushwaha in front of goal. The captain finished coolly. 3-0 at half-time.

The third quarter saw Tani Purti complete his hat-trick. Varinder Singh’s run at Japan’s defence drew another penalty corner and Tani Purti finished clinically in the 34th minute. India had a 100 percent penalty corner conversion record in the final.

Japan scored a consolation goal through Numada Gaku in the 52nd minute from a penalty corner. They won three more penalty corners in the closing stages but India, who converted all three of their penalty corners while limiting Japan to one goal from four attempts, were not going to let this one slip.

Tani Purti won Player of the Match for his impressive hat-trick.

Read More: Why Hiring Tim White and Frederic Soyez is Only a Half-Battle

The Pool Stage

India opened with a 13-0 win over Kazakhstan and followed it up with a one-sided 13-1 result against Chinese Taipei. The goals were flowing but the real test had not arrived. When it did, India failed it. A complacent performance against Japan ended in a 4-2 defeat.

That defeat forced India to reset.

India beat South Korea 4-1 in their next match to respond strongly to the setback. Captain Ketan Kushwaha scored twice while Varinder Singh and Shahrukh Ali also found the net. Korea pulled one back through captain Yun Jaehyeok, but India were comfortable throughout.

The win ensured India finished the pool stage with three victories from four matches. However, Japan’s perfect record meant India had to settle for second place in Pool A.

The Semi-final

India vs Pakistan lived up to the hype.

India led 1-0 at half-time through a Tani Purti penalty stroke in the 12th minute. Pakistan fought back in the third quarter and led 3-2 going into the final quarter.

3-2 down going into the final quarter, India needed a response. Tani Purti scored three times in seven minutes, in the 49th, 53rd, and 56th minutes, all from penalty corners. India won 5-3. Shahrukh Ali had scored India’s second in the 35th minute.

U18 Asia Cup Results

Tani Purti and Kushwaha: The Standouts

Tani Purti finished the tournament with 13 goals, all but one from set pieces. Across six matches that is more than two goals per game. He scored 12 penalty corners and one penalty stroke.

Remarkably, he scored three hat-tricks across the tournament, against Chinese Taipei, Pakistan in the semi-final, and Japan in the final.

At under-18 level, he already looks like one of India’s most promising drag-flickers.

Kushwaha scored 8 goals across the tournament, five from field play and three from penalty corners.

India’s Top Scorers

Individual Honours

Ashish Tani Purti finished as the tournament’s top scorer with 13 goals and was named Player of the Match in the final.

Ayush Rajak was named Best Goalkeeper of the tournament.

Cash Awards

Hockey India announced a cash award of INR 3 lakh for each player and INR 1.5 lakh for each support staff member.

Jimmy Bhogal is the founder of Give Me Hockey

2026 is a big year for Indian hockey. Nations Cup. World Cup. Asian Games. Subscribe to the Give Me Hockey newsletter and follow every step of it.

<p>The post India Beat Japan; Win Men’s U18 Asia Cup 2026 first appeared on Give Me Hockey.</p>

Hockey Victoria built the franchise around a clear fact. Indians account for nearly 400,000 Victorians. That number is expected to reach one million in the next 15 to 20 years. South Asians are the fastest growing community in Victoria. In fact, the subcontinent diaspora started five of the last newly established community hockey clubs in Melbourne.

The Purpose

Hockey Victoria CEO Andrew Skillern has been frank about the thinking behind the Cobras. He told the Economic Times that Hockey Victoria chose to go global. The goal was simple. Avoid competing for sponsorship with dozens of other sporting teams in Australia.

Skillern put the objectives plainly. “The Melbourne Cobras has two clear objectives. One is to significantly increase the growth of the game in the Victorian South-Asian community in line with population growth. Secondly, to extend our commercial relationships beyond our traditional models, allowing us to re-invest into hockey for the benefit of the game.”

Read More: FIH Nations Cup 2026: India Squad Named, Baljeet Kaur Surprise Omission

The Indian Connection to Hockey One League

Among a squad of 25, eight players will be Indian or Indian-origin. Since early 2024, Hockey Victoria has been talking to Hockey India, HIL franchises, players, and coaches.

The ambition is high. Hockey Victoria want to bring active India players to the Cobras. India captain Harmanpreet Singh and former captain Manpreet Singh have been mentioned in those talks. However, the international calendar and domestic commitments make that hard. Hockey Victoria is exploring per-game contracts to give Hockey India flexibility.

The link between Indian hockey and Hockey One already exists. Shilanand Lakra played for HC Melbourne last season. Rupinder Pal Singh played for both Canberra Chill and HC Melbourne after he retired from international hockey.

Who Is Signed

Rani Rampal joins the Cobras as ambassador and player. The current Indian U-18 women’s coach captained India to fourth place at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and received the Padma Shri from the Government of India.

Rupinder Pal Singh also joins as ambassador and player. He won Olympic bronze at Tokyo 2020 and Asian Games gold in 2014.

Gurjant Singh completes the Indian player group. He retired from international hockey with 130 caps and 33 goals. He won Olympic bronze at Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024. Gurjant also scored in the 2016 Junior World Cup final as India won the title in Lucknow.

The Coaches

Hockey Victoria appointed David John as head coach of the women’s team. John was Hockey India’s High Performance Director from 2016 to 2020. He ran both the men’s and women’s national programmes. He later worked as High Performance Manager for the Hockey India League and the State of Odisha.

Mitch Hayde takes charge of the men’s team. He was assistant coach when Hockey Club Melbourne won back-to-back titles. He also has international experience with New Zealand at U21 and U18 level.

What is Hockey One League?

Hockey One is Australia’s national hockey league. Seven teams compete in double headers across Perth, Adelaide, Canberra, Hobart, Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane. Each team fields men’s and women’s sides. The season runs from October to November. The Melbourne Cobras join as the eighth franchise from Season 2026.

The Cobras are one to watch. They are entering a competition built around Australian domestic hockey with a very different idea. How they play on the field matters. So does how they connect with the Indian diaspora in the stands. Whether they sign the Indian players they want will decide if this works.

Further details on player signings, matchday arrangements, and membership will be released in due course. Visit melbournecobras.com for updates.

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The Nations Cup comes at a crucial point in the Indian women’s programme. It is the first of three major tournaments in a compressed window, with the FIH Women’s World Cup and the Asian Games to follow. Additionally, the Nations Cup winner earns promotion to the FIH Pro League, giving the victorious nation a season of weekly high-level competition against the world’s best.

Notable Selections

Lalthantluangi and Shilpi Dabas both earned their maiden senior call-ups during the Australia tour and keep their places for Auckland. Sonam also makes the squad after scoring her first senior international goal against Australia in Perth. Marijne has kept faith with all three after their performances in the four-match friendly series.

Meanwhile, Navneet Kaur heads into the tournament as India’s most in-form forward. She stood out across both the Argentina and Australia tours, scoring in multiple matches and captaining the side in Argentina.

However, Baljeet Kaur misses out despite being part of the Australia tour squad. Hockey India have not given a reason for her absence.

What Marijne Said

Speaking to Hockey India, Marijne said the tours of Argentina and Australia have given the squad the preparation they needed. The focus now is on translating that into consistent performances across a full tournament.

“The Nations Cup is an important tournament for us. We want to go there and play with ambition to set a standard for ourselves that we can build on. We have built on those aspects in the Argentina and Australia tours, which gave us good preparation as a team. Now it is about taking the next step and showing that level consistently across a full tournament. The squad is motivated and ready for the challenge.”

India’s Fixtures in FIH Nations Cup 2026

India are in Pool A alongside Japan, the United States, and Uruguay. Their opening match is against the United States on June 15 at 16:15 IST. They then face Japan on June 16 at 18:30 IST. The pool stage concludes against Uruguay on June 18 at 16:15 IST. The semi-finals follow on June 20 and the final on June 21.

For the full schedule, what is at stake, and the Pro League promotion picture, read our FIH Nations Cup 2026 schedule and preview piece.

India’s Squad for FIH Nations Cup 2026

Goalkeepers: Savita and Bichu Devi Kharibam

Defenders: Sushila Chanu Pukhrambam, Ishika Chaudhary, Lalthantluangi, Shilpi Dabas, Jyoti and Nikki Pradhan

Midfielders: Salima Tete (c), Neha, Sunelita Toppo, Sakshi Rana, Deepika Soreng, Sonam and Lalremsiami

Forwards: Navneet Kaur, Deepika, Rutuja Dadaso Pisal, Ishika and Annu

2026 is a big year for Indian hockey. Nations Cup. World Cup. Asian Games. Subscribe to the Give Me Hockey newsletter and follow every step of it.

<p>The post FIH Nations Cup 2026: India Squad Named, Baljeet Kaur Surprise Omission first appeared on Give Me Hockey.</p>

Before the team departed for Perth, Captain Salima Tete had set out what she wanted from the tour. “We want to head into the Nations Cup in Auckland with momentum and confidence. Australia will push us to our limits, and we want to use that to become a stronger, more cohesive unit. The Nations Cup itself will be another important marker for us as we build towards the Asian Games and the World Cup. We want to peak at the right time.”

How the Series Played Out

India lost the opener 1-2. Navneet Kaur converted a penalty corner for the only Indian goal. However, Australia’s Abby Wilson scored twice from penalty corners to secure the win for the hosts.

The second match ended 1-1 after regulation. Olivia Downes gave Australia an early lead. But Sushila Chanu Pukhrambam equalised in the final quarter. India then won the post-match shootout 4-2 with Navneet Kaur, Ishika Chaudhary, Annu, and Rutuja Dadaso Pisal all converting.

Read More: FIH Nations Cup 2026 (Women): Schedule, India’s Fixtures, and What Is at Stake

The third match was a different India. A disciplined defensive display kept Australia scoreless through the first half. Sonam then broke the deadlock with a field goal in the 36th minute, her first goal in senior international hockey. Lalremsiami doubled the lead in the 49th minute. As a result, India won 2-0 with a clean sheet.

The fourth match raised a question Marijne will need to answer before Auckland. Navneet Kaur struck in the second minute from a penalty corner. Deepika Soreng then doubled the lead before half-time. However, Australia scored three times in 16 minutes through Abby Wilson, Olivia Downes, and Courtney Schonell. India conceded three goals without reply after leading 2-0. The same thing happened in Argentina, where India led 2-0 in the opening match before conceding four. Consequently, how India manage a lead will be on Marijne’s agenda before Auckland.

Argentina: Where It Started

India played four matches against Argentina in Buenos Aires in April. They lost the first two 2-4 and 1-2. However, they won the third 2-1 through Navneet Kaur and Neha, both from penalty corners. The fourth ended 0-0 before India won the shootout 3-2. Navneet Kaur captained the side throughout.

The same pattern then repeated in Australia. India lost the opener, regrouped, and came back with their best performance of each tour in the third match.

After the Argentina series, Navneet Kaur said: “It isn’t easy to trail 0-2 against a world-class team like Argentina, but we showed the heart and character needed to fight back. These back-to-back wins prove that we are moving in the right direction.”

What India Can Take Into FIH Nations Cup 2026

India have played eight matches against Argentina and Australia across six weeks, both away from home. These are practice matches. However, competing against top nations on foreign soil and finding ways to respond when behind is not something a training camp can replicate.

Navneet Kaur has been the most consistent performer across both tours. She scored in Argentina, led the side as stand-in captain, and subsequently continued her form in Australia with goals in the first and final matches.

Sonam scored her first senior international goal in the third match against Australia. Meanwhile, debuts for Shilpi Dabas and Lalthantluangi show Marijne has used this window to build depth alongside results.

The Nations Cup in Auckland starts on June 15. India go there having been tested, having come from behind, and with at least one question about game management still to answer.

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<p>The post India Women’s Australia Tour: Results, Lessons and the Road to FIH Nations Cup 2026 first appeared on Give Me Hockey.</p>

The numbers from the 2026 season made the case for how strong the league is. Despite several foreign players being unavailable, HIL crossed 1 billion social media views in just over two weeks. That milestone took the entire previous season to reach. TV viewership was also up 37 percent after the first six matches. The HIL YouTube channel recorded over 80 million views in 28 days, drawing audiences from Argentina, the UK, Australia, Germany, Belgium, and beyond.

Which Nations Can Register for Hockey India League?

Players from 14 nations are eligible on the men’s side, and 15 on the women’s side.

Men: India, Netherlands, Belgium, Australia, England, Argentina, Germany, Spain, Ireland, France, New Zealand, South Africa, Malaysia, Japan.

Women: India, Netherlands, Argentina, Belgium, China, Spain, England, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Chile, United States, Ireland, Scotland, Japan.

Players can register directly through the Hockey India website.

One notable absentee on the men’s side is Pakistan. Ranked 12th in the world, Pakistan would ordinarily be in contention. The Government of India does not allow Pakistani players to take part in tournaments hosted in India. This applies unless the event is a multilateral international competition. HIL is a domestic league and falls outside that exemption.

Last season, more than 1,000 players registered for the auction. That included over 500 Indian men, 350 Indian women, and more than 240 international players across both categories.

Hockey India League Proposed Venues

Season 3 expands to three venues from the two used in Season 2. All franchises agreed in a meeting with Hockey India that Bhubaneswar, Hyderabad, and Delhi will host the competition. SG Pipers president Digvijay Singh Deo confirmed the decision. Dilip Tirkey has also proposed Bhubaneswar as the venue for the women’s tournament, with Kalinga Stadium as the likely base.

Delhi is a new addition to the Season 3 calendar. While Hockey India has not confirmed the specific venue, matches in Delhi have historically been held at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium, which holds 16,200 spectators. A detailed schedule is expected by end of June.

When Does Hockey India League Season 3 Start?

Hockey India has scheduled Season 3 for January 2027. The move shifts the tournament away from the holiday window that cost the league key foreign players in Season 2. Top European players typically take a break over Christmas and New Year. Several were unavailable for Season 2 as a result.

The Netherlands did not release their senior players for Season 2 due to fixture congestion and the home World Cup. Both obstacles are now gone. The 2026 World Cup completes in August, well before the January 2027 window.

Read More: India Tour of Australia: Squad, Schedule and Streaming Details

Hockey India League Auction

The auction is confirmed for September 11. Hockey India wants the auction done before the Asian Games. The Games serve as an Olympic qualifier for India. The aim is to avoid any distraction for players in contention for national selection.

Three franchises withdrew before or during Season 2. UP Rudras cited financial sustainability concerns and pulled out two days before the auction. The HIL governing council subsequently took over franchise operations. Team Gonasika in the men’s section and Odisha Warriors women also withdrew, citing personal reasons. However, reports suggested the Warriors players had significant problems with the franchise owners.

Despite those withdrawals, the auction produced competitive bidding. Australian pair Liam Henderson and Cooper Burns were picked up by Vedanta Kalinga Lancers. Sander de Wijn then triggered a fierce bidding war before joining Tamil Nadu Dragons. Agustina Gorzelany of Argentina emerged as the most expensive women’s player. Monika became the costliest Indian women’s player after an intense bidding battle.

What Hockey India League Season 3 Needs to Be

HIL’s social media numbers are strong. However, the harder challenge is breaking out of the hockey ecosystem. The league’s audience today is largely people who already follow the sport. That ceiling is real.

Meanwhile, the wider Indian sports landscape is shifting in HIL’s favour. Pro Kabaddi League, once the most credible challenger to cricket’s dominance, has seen its momentum plateau. The Indian Super League is also in active turmoil. Several ISL clubs issued a joint statement this year. They warned the AIFF they may reduce their commitment if uncertainty continues. As a result, Indian football’s top league ran a shortened 13-match format in 2025-26 after months of administrative deadlock.

Hockey India League does not have those problems. It has a growing international audience, a clear calendar, and franchises that showed up even when Season 2 got difficult. The chance to become India’s second biggest sporting league is real. But television production quality needs to improve. The in-stadium experience needs work too. Social media reach alone does not build a league. Sustained viewership does.

Season 3 starts in January 2027. The window to become India’s second biggest sporting league will not stay open forever.

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Read More: The Sreejesh-Hockey India Dispute Is About More Than Just One Coaching Job

Who Is Frederic Soyez?

Frederic Soyez is one of the most decorated players in French hockey history. He represented France from 1995 to 2009, earning 196 caps and scoring 195 goals, both national records. At the 2003 Indoor World Cup in Leipzig, FIH named him top scorer and best player as France finished third.

He retired from playing in 2009 and moved into coaching, first at Lille MHC and then as France senior men’s coach from 2011. Spain came next in 2014. He guided them to fifth place at Rio 2016, a quarter-final at Tokyo 2020, and a silver medal at the 2019 European Championships. During his time with Spain, he also served as HPD for the Spanish federation. In 2021, he returned to France as both head coach and High Performance Director, leading them at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Welcoming the appointment, Hockey India President Dilip Tirkey said: “Frederic comes with outstanding international credentials, having coached at multiple Olympic Games, World Cups, and European Championships, while also successfully developing young talent and high-performance systems. Our focus is not only on immediate results but also on building a deep talent pool and a coaching structure that remains aligned from sub-junior to senior level.”

Frederic Soyez Junior World Cup Record

France have qualified for seven of the fourteen FIH Junior Men’s World Cups. Three of those appearances produced medals, and all three came under Soyez in some capacity. The 2013 Junior World Cup in New Delhi was his first assignment as a junior coach. France came in as a surprise package and finished second, their first ever Junior World Cup medal. When he later served as HPD of the French federation, the junior team finished third in 2021 and second in 2023.

France are not a traditional junior hockey powerhouse. That record across three tournaments, spanning twelve years, is not coincidence. There is an interesting footnote to 2013 as well. It was the first Junior World Cup hosted by India, and the first time India had a foreign coach in the junior dugout. Gregg Clark took charge of the Indian side that tournament. India finished tenth.

Paris 2024 and What Followed

Soyez’s tenure with France ended in October 2024, two and a half months after the Paris Olympics. France drew against Spain but lost to Germany, the Netherlands, England, and South Africa. They finished with one point from five pool matches. The target was seven points minimum to reach the quarter-finals. France’s National Sport Agency organised a debrief that revealed a climate of mistrust between the coaching staff and players. Senior players criticised the staff during the process. The French federation removed Soyez shortly after. He remained at the federation’s technical directorate in an advisory role.

What He Brings

Soyez is known for his penalty corner expertise. His coaching philosophy goes beyond set pieces. After Spain’s fifth place finish at Rio 2016, he spoke about the role of communication and behaviour in building a competitive team. “The work on behaviours performed upstream allowed us to go to the Olympic Games and get the results we had,” he said. “They are, for me, as important as physical preparation.” He added that his players “really grew during the competition, in the way of communicating, of behaving.”

That emphasis on communication is relevant in the Indian context. Craig Fulton’s senior men’s team runs on clear roles, player trust, and collective decision making under pressure. If Soyez can build those same habits at junior level, players moving into Fulton’s setup would arrive with the foundations already in place.

The Mandate

Hockey India has framed the appointment around the 2036 Olympics. The federation wants a coaching structure that runs seamlessly from sub-junior through junior to senior level. Indian coaches will work alongside international experts at every camp. Soyez served as HPD at the French federation from 2021 to 2024. He has built exactly that kind of structure before.

Soyez’s first assignment will be the Junior Asia Cup 2026 in Moqi, China. Dates are yet to be confirmed.

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<p>The post Frederic Soyez: The Tactical Blueprint for India’s Junior Hockey first appeared on Give Me Hockey.</p>

Hockey India appointed Sreejesh as junior team coach in August 2024, immediately after he retired from international hockey. He posted a statement on his Twitter account on Tuesday. His contract expired on December 21, 2025, following the FIH Junior World Cup in Chennai. He reapplied when Hockey India advertised the position. Hockey India did not select him.

“It seems like my coaching career comes to an end after 1.5 years, during which we played 5 tournaments and secured 5 podium finishes, including a Junior World Cup bronze medal,” Sreejesh wrote. “I have heard about coaches getting fired after bad performances. But this is the first time I am experiencing being removed to make way for a foreign coach.”

Sreejesh said the Hockey India President told him that Craig Fulton prefers a foreign head coach for the junior side. Fulton believes it will help develop Indian hockey from junior level through to senior level.

He also cited a meeting with Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on March 7, 2026. “I was told, “Sreejesh, we need coaches like you to step up and lead our country as we prepare for 2036.” However, Hockey India continues to place its trust in foreign coaches over Indian ones across all four teams.”

A Record That Made the Case for Him

Across his 18 months in charge, Sreejesh led India to podium finishes in all four medal tournaments he entered. The Junior Asia Cup title in November 2024 was the standout result of his first year. In 28 games across five tournaments, India won 19, a win rate of just under 68 percent. The Junior World Cup bronze medal match against Argentina captured what his side was capable of at their best. Trailing 2-0 with 11 minutes left, India scored four times through Ankit Pal (49’), Manmeet Singh (52’), Shardanand Tiwari (57’), and Anmol Ekka (58’) to complete a remarkable turnaround on home soil in Chennai.

Sreejesh’s Record as Junior Men’s Coach

*Four Nations was a preparatory tournament, not a medal event.

Hockey India is yet to announce who will take charge of the junior men’s team. Until that name is confirmed, the question Sreejesh has raised publicly remains unanswered.

Editor’s Note

Sreejesh’s record speaks for itself. Five tournaments, five podiums, including a Junior World Cup bronze on home soil. That is not a record you usually walk away from without a strong reason.

The Programme That Should Have Included Him

Last year, we wrote about Hockey India’s coaching mentorship programme. Eight FIH Level 3 certified Indian coaches shadowed Craig Fulton and Harendra Singh during national camps. The idea was to build an Indian coaching pipeline and reduce dependence on foreign coaches. It was a promising step. But here is the thing. Sreejesh was arguably the most obvious candidate for something like that programme. A recently retired player freshly into coaching, working alongside Fulton or Harendra during national camps, would have been the ideal candidate for that initiative. Whether that ever happened, we do not know. If it did not, that is a question about how seriously Hockey India takes its own programmes.

Choosing a foreign coach over Sreejesh despite that programme existing raises an obvious question about whether any of it means anything.

But this is not entirely straightforward either.

Hockey coaching has changed considerably over the past decade. The game is faster, more structured, and tactically more demanding than it was even ten years ago. At the top level, coaches are not expected to do everything for the players. International players are expected to read the game, make decisions under pressure. They also take responsibility on the field without waiting to be told. The coach sets the framework. The players execute within it and solve problems as they arise.

A Question Worth Asking

Which makes Sreejesh’s comments from 2018 worth revisiting. When Marijne was coaching the senior men’s side, Sreejesh was among the players who complained about his methods. Sreejesh said at the time: “He can show me where I have to walk… He can’t ask me to draw a picture and say he will paint it. He should have an idea of how we are going to play and we can help him make it beautiful.” The message was clear: the coach draws the picture first. Players would then help colour it in.

That view sits directly against where modern coaching has gone. The coach no longer draws the picture alone. Players at international level are expected to bring their own ideas to the canvas. Only those inside the camp would know whether Sreejesh the coach moved on from what Sreejesh the player believed. But it is a fair question to ask.

We also do not know what coaching qualifications Sreejesh holds. FIH has a structured certification programme. The eight coaches in Hockey India’s mentorship programme all hold FIH Level 3 certification. Whether Sreejesh has gone through any part of that pathway is not public information. Results matter, but so does the framework around them.

Sreejesh himself said it best in 2018: “We should develop our own coaches, that’s for sure. We need to give them more experience and technologies.” Sreejesh was right then. Hockey India has not built a system where that development happens in a structured way.

That is not entirely Hockey India’s failure. And it is not entirely Sreejesh’s either.

Appeal

If this story made you think, there is more where that came from. The Sreejesh question is not going away, and neither are the bigger questions around how Indian hockey develops its own. Please subscribe to the Give Me Hockey newsletter and get these stories in your inbox before anyone else.

<p>The post The Sreejesh Paradox: Why India’s Most Successful Junior Coach Was Passed Over for a Foreign Vision first appeared on Give Me Hockey.</p>