Indian players have achieved glory at the Junior Hockey Asia Cup 2026 in both the men’s and women’s categories. The tournament was held in China, with India clinching the title in both categories on Sunday, September 13.
India men defeated South Korea 4-1 with a dominant performance in the final. With this win, India now have a record 6 titles in the men’s category. This was also their third consecutive title in the tournament.
In the women’s category also, India clinched their third consecutive title after defeating China 1-0 in the final. The success signifies India’s bright future in hockey.
With the win both teams have qualified for Junior Hockey World Cup 2027.
Men’s Junior Asia Cup 2026 Final: Match details
India registered a dominant 4-1 win over South Korea, with Ajeet Yadav scoring the opening goal in the first quarter. India extended their lead further in the second quarter and went into the half-time break in a dominant position with a 3-0 lead.
India extended their lead further in the fourth quarter, with Ashu Maurya scoring the fourth goal to make it 4-0. South Korea, however, scored a consolation goal in the fourth quarter through Lee Minhyeok, but that was not enough to prevent India from winning the title.
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Category
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Match Details
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Matchup
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India vs. South Korea
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Final Score
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India 4 – 1 South Korea
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Half-Time Score
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India 3 – 0 South Korea
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Outcome
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India won their 6th overall title
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Women’s Junior Asia Cup 2026 Final: Match Details
The women’s final was a neck-and-neck encounter between India and China, with the Indian women eventually clinching the title by a close margin. The only goal of the match was scored by Sanika Chandrakant Mane in the 17th minute of the second quarter.
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Category
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Match Details
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Matchup
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India vs. China (Hosts)
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Final Score
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India 1 – 0 China
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Half-Time Score
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India 1 – 0 China
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Outcome
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India won their 3rd overall title
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Junior Asia Cup 2026: Prize money
Both the Indian men’s and women’s teams received an equal amount of prize money for their wins in the Junior Asia Cup. Each player received INR 3 lakh, whereas each member of the support staff received INR 1.5 lakh.
India Men’s Junior Hockey Team: Tournament Journey
India started their journey with a clinical 14-0 win over Indonesia in their first match, and they never stopped from there. Another major win came against Chinese Taipei, where the Indian side won 15-0. Below are the details of their match-by-match journey.
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Match Stage
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Opponent
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Result / Score
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Pool Stage (Match 1)
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Indonesia
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Won 14–0
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Pool Stage (Match 2)
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Japan
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Drawn 3–3
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Pool Stage (Match 3)
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South Korea
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Won 7–2
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Pool Stage (Match 4)
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Chinese Taipei
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Won 15–0
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Semi-Final
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Malaysia
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Won 3–1
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FINAL
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South Korea
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Won 4–1
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Source: FIH.hockey
India Women’s Junior Hockey Team: Tournament Journey
India Women’s main highlight of the tournament came against Pakistan in the quarter finals. In a knockout game, India not only won but thrashed Pakistan 19-0 in a memorable victory.
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Match Stage
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Opponent
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Result / Score
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Elite Pool (Match 1)
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South Korea
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Won 4–1
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Elite Pool (Match 2)
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Malaysia
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Won 11–1
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Elite Pool (Match 3)
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Japan
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Won 7–0
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Elite Pool (Match 4)
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China (Hosts)
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Drawn 0–0
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Quarter-Final
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Pakistan
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Won 19–0
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Semi-Final
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South Korea
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Won 5–1
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FINAL
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China (Hosts)
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Won 1–0
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The results clearly show that India are building a strong foundation in hockey. This can eventually help India in their quest for an Olympic gold medal in the future, something that has been long due for decades.