15th Hockey India Senior Men National Championship 2025 Kicks Off in Jhansi with New Format

The 15th Hockey India Senior Men National Championship 2025 is set to commence on April 4, 2025, at the Major Dhyan Chand Hockey Stadium, Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, featuring a new division-based format that includes promotion and relegation battles. The tournament, which runs until April 15, will see 30 teams competing across three divisions—A, B, and C—making it one of the most competitive editions yet.

New Format with Promotion and Relegation

Following the successful implementation of this format in the Senior Women National Championship last month, the men’s tournament will now adopt the same structure.

• Division A: The top 12 teams will compete for the championship title.
• Division B: 10 teams will fight for promotion to Division A.
• Division C: 8 teams will battle for a place in Division B.

The bottom two teams from Division A will be relegated to Division B, while the top two teams from Division B will be promoted. Similarly, Division C’s top two teams will earn a spot in Division B next season.

Division A: The Championship Battle

Defending champions Hockey Association of Odisha and runners-up Hockey Haryana will be among the 12 teams in Division A, split into four pools:

• Pool A: Hockey Association of Odisha, Hockey Punjab, Hockey Madhya Pradesh
• Pool B: Hockey Haryana, Hockey Maharashtra, Hockey Jharkhand
• Pool C: Uttar Pradesh Hockey, Hockey Unit of Tamil Nadu, Hockey Bengal
• Pool D: Manipur Hockey, Hockey Karnataka, Le Puducherry Hockey

Teams will compete in a round-robin league, with the top two teams from each pool advancing to the quarterfinals on April 12. The semifinals will take place on April 13, followed by the final and third-place match on April 15.

Division B and C: The Road to Promotion

In Division B, 10 teams are split into two pools, aiming for promotion to Division A:

• Pool A: Hockey Chandigarh, Goans Hockey, Telangana Hockey, Hockey Andhra Pradesh, Hockey Uttarakhand
• Pool B: Delhi Hockey, Hockey Mizoram, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu Hockey, Kerala Hockey, Assam Hockey

Similarly, in Division C, 8 teams will compete for a chance to move up:

• Pool A: Hockey Raj, Hockey Arunachal, Hockey Jammu & Kashmir, Tripura Hockey
• Pool B: Chhattisgarh Hockey, Hockey Himachal, Hockey Association of Bihar, Hockey Gujarat

Teams in Divisions B and C will only play league matches, with rankings determined by points. Top teams from each group will be promoted to higher divisions.

Exciting Matchups on Opening Day

The tournament kicks off on April 4, with matches in Divisions B and C, starting at 7:00 AM IST:

• Division C:
  • Hockey Raj vs. Tripura Hockey
  • Hockey Arunachal vs. Hockey Jammu & Kashmir
  • Chhattisgarh Hockey vs. Hockey Gujarat
  • Hockey Himachal vs. Hockey Association of Bihar
• Division B:
  • Hockey Chandigarh vs. Hockey Andhra Pradesh
  • Goans Hockey vs. Hockey Uttarakhand
  • Delhi Hockey vs. Kerala Hockey
  • Hockey Mizoram vs. Assam Hockey

Hockey India Officials Optimistic

Hockey India President Dr. Dilip Tirkey expressed confidence in the new format, stating, “The introduction of promotion and relegation adds intensity to the competition. Teams will give their best, leading to high-quality hockey.”

Hockey India Secretary General Shri Bhola Nath Singh emphasized the importance of the tournament for talent scouting, saying, “This championship plays a key role in identifying future international players. We expect an exciting display of skills and determination.”

With a new structure in place and intense battles expected, the 15th Hockey India Senior Men National Championship 2025 promises a thrilling two weeks of action.