Overview

• Play runs August 29 to September 7 at Rajgir’s new hockey stadium, with eight teams confirmed after late changes.
• Pakistan pulled out citing security reasons and Oman withdrew for personal reasons, with Bangladesh and Kazakhstan drafted in.
• Fans can secure no-cost access by registering on Ticketgenie or the Hockey India app, which issues virtual tickets.
• India lines up in Pool A with Japan, China and Kazakhstan, opening against China on Friday before facing Japan and Kazakhstan.
• The champion qualifies directly for the 2026 World Cup in Belgium and the Netherlands, and India has named a full-strength side after poor Pro League results.