India Junior Men’s Hockey Team Leaves for China as Final Preparations Begin for Junior Asia Cup 2026
The Indian Junior Men’s Hockey Team has departed for China as preparations enter their final phase ahead of the Junior Asia Cup 2026, scheduled to be held in Moqi, China.
The Indian squad left Bengaluru on August 23 and is set to arrive in Dalian, Liaoning, on August 24 for a week-long preparatory camp. The Dalian leg will include multiple training sessions and three practice matches against the China Junior Men’s Hockey Team before India travels to Moqi for the continental tournament.
For the young Indian side, the camp represents the final opportunity to fine-tune its systems, combinations and match preparation before the Junior Asia Cup begins on September 5.
India have been placed in Pool A alongside Korea, Japan, Chinese Taipei and Indonesia, with a demanding four-match group stage awaiting them in a short span.
The Indian team will begin training immediately after arriving in Dalian, with its first session scheduled for August 24. The squad will then have two training sessions on August 25, followed by further sessions on August 26 and 27. The focus during this period is expected to be on sharpening the team's tactical structure and ensuring the players are physically ready for the intensity of the tournament.
The training camp will be followed by three practice matches against the hosts. India will play their first match against the China Junior Men’s team on August 28. The second practice match is scheduled for August 30, followed by the third and final match on August 31.
These matches will provide the Indian coaching staff with an important opportunity to assess the squad under competitive conditions. Practice matches can often play a crucial role before a major tournament. Training sessions allow teams to work on structure and specific tactical situations, but matches test how players respond to pressure, fatigue and changing situations.
The three games against China should therefore give India valuable match exposure before the Junior Asia Cup. Following the completion of the Dalian camp, the Indian squad will travel to Moqi on September 1, where it will continue its final preparations before beginning the tournament four days later.
India begins campaign against Indonesia
India will open their Junior Asia Cup 2026 campaign against Indonesia on September 5 at 09:00 Hrs. The following day, India face Japan in what could be one of the key early matches of their group. The two teams will meet on September 6 at 11:00 Hrs. After a one-day break, India will take on Korea on September 8 at 09:00 Hrs, before completing their group-stage campaign against Chinese Taipei on September 9 at 09:00 Hrs.
The condensed schedule means recovery and squad management will be important.
India's group-stage schedule is:
5 September: India vs Indonesia — 09:00 Hrs
6 September: Japan vs India — 11:00 Hrs
8 September: Korea vs India — 09:00 Hrs
9 September: India vs Chinese Taipei — 09:00 Hrs
The back-to-back matches against Indonesia and Japan, followed by another quick turnaround between the Korea and Chinese Taipei fixtures, will test the depth and physical preparation of the Indian squad. For a junior team, exposure to such tournament conditions is also an important part of development.
The Dalian camp comes after India's recent five-match friendly series against Malaysia in Bengaluru. That series gave the Indian Junior Men’s Hockey Team an opportunity to test its preparations against international opposition and identify areas requiring improvement before the continental competition.
According to head coach Frederic Soyez, the China camp is designed to build on the work completed over the last two months. “This final training camp in Dalian will allow us to build on the work we have done over the past two months, particularly following our matches against Malaysia,” Soyez said.
“We will have some training sessions on site and play three matches against China, which will give us the opportunity to complete our preparations.” The importance of the camp lies not only in the number of training sessions but also in the transition from preparation to competition.
The Indian players will get an opportunity to train in China, adapt to their surroundings and play three competitive matches before moving to Moqi. That should help reduce the uncertainty associated with arriving at a major tournament without sufficient match practice.
India's placement in Pool A sets up an interesting group stage. Japan and Korea are traditionally competitive teams in Asian hockey, while Indonesia and Chinese Taipei will also provide different tactical challenges. For India, a strong start against Indonesia could help build momentum ahead of the more demanding fixtures against Japan and Korea.
The matches against Japan and Korea, in particular, could prove important in determining the team's position heading into the next stage of the tournament. However, the Indian squad's immediate focus will remain on preparation rather than looking too far ahead. The Dalian camp gives the players nearly a week to train and compete before arriving in Moqi.
With three practice matches against China, the coaching staff will have multiple opportunities to experiment with combinations and assess how the team responds in match situations.
The Junior Asia Cup is one of the biggest tournaments in the Asian calendar for emerging hockey players. For many members of the Indian squad, it provides an opportunity to gain experience in a high-pressure continental tournament and demonstrate their readiness for the next level.
The coming days in Dalian will therefore be crucial. India will train, play three matches against China and then move to Moqi with their Junior Asia Cup campaign ready to begin. The work of the last two months, including the five-match series against Malaysia, will now be put to the test.
As coach Frederic Soyez and his squad enter the final phase of preparation, the objective will be clear: arrive in Moqi with the team physically prepared, tactically organised and match-ready.
India's road to the Junior Asia Cup 2026 has entered its final stretch.
The journey begins in Dalian, but the real challenge starts on September 5.
Comments (0)
to post comments, replies, and votes.
Loading comments…
