30 teams to compete in 16th Junior Women’s National Hockey in Pune
The 16th Hockey India Junior Women’s National Championship is set to begin in Pune with 30 teams competing across three divisions. The tournament serves as a pathway for teams to compete for the national title and earn promotion or avoid relegation.
Why it matters
National championships are critical for talent scouting and the development of the sport at the grassroots and junior levels.
A total of 30 teams will participate across three divisions in the 16th Hockey India Junior Women National Championship 2026 to get underway in Pune from Wednesday.
The tournament will continue until August 23, with the teams competing for the national title as well as promotion and relegation across the divisions.
The championship will feature Division 'A', Division 'B' and Division 'C', with the three categories providing a pathway for teams to compete at their respective levels and progress through the national championship system.
The division-based format will see teams battle not only for the title but also for promotion to a higher division.
The Division 'A', comprising 12 teams, has been divided into four pools. Pool A features Jharkhand, Punjab and Chandigarh, while Pool B consists of Haryana, Odisha and Bengal.
Pool C includes Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Manipur. Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Himachal are in Pool D.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in