Punjab Newsline : Sports

The Indian junior men’s hockey team departed Bengaluru on Sunday for Dalian, Liaoning, China, as it entered the final phase of preparations for the Junior Asia Cup 2026. The continental tournament will be held in Moqi, China, and the Indian players will use the Dalian camp to sharpen their match readiness ahead of the competition.

The Indian team is scheduled to arrive in Dalian on Monday, August 24, where it will undergo a series of training sessions. The team will then play three practice matches against the China junior men’s hockey team. The first practice match is scheduled for August 28, followed by the second and third matches on August 30 and 31.

The practice matches are expected to provide valuable international exposure to the players while also helping the coaching staff assess the team’s combinations and fine-tune its strategy ahead of the tournament.

India will hold its first training session on Monday, followed by two sessions on Tuesday. Further training sessions are scheduled for August 26 and 27. After completing the Dalian camp, the Indian team will travel to Moqi on September 1 for its final preparations before the Junior Asia Cup begins.

India has been placed in Pool A alongside Korea, Japan, Chinese Taipei and Indonesia. The Indian team will begin its tournament campaign against Indonesia on September 5 at 9 am. India will then face Japan on September 6 at 11 am, Korea on September 8 at 9 am and Chinese Taipei on September 9 at 9 am.

The team enters the final stage of its preparations after recently playing a five-match friendly series against Malaysia in Bengaluru. The series provided the players with valuable match practice and allowed the coaching staff to work on different combinations and tactics.

Indian junior men’s hockey team coach Frederic Soyez said the Dalian training camp would help the team build on the work completed over the past two months. He added that the three matches against China would provide the squad with an important opportunity to complete its preparations before the continental tournament.

India’s Junior Asia Cup 2026 Schedule

  • September 5: India vs Indonesia — 9:00 AM

  • September 6: Japan vs India — 11:00 AM

  • September 8: Korea vs India — 9:00 AM

  • September 9: India vs Chinese Taipei — 9:00 AM