New Delhi, June 4
The Indian women's hockey team is set to kick off its campaign in the Women’s Asia Cup 2025 against Thailand on September 5, 2025, at the Gongshu Canal Sports Park Field Hockey Field, the 2022 Asian Games hockey venue, in Hangzhou, China.
The Indian team has been placed in Pool B, alongside defending Asia Cup champions Japan, Thailand, and Singapore, while Pool A consists of hosts China, Korea, Malaysia, and Chinese Taipei.
The tournament is set to take place in Hangzhou, China, from September 5 to 14, 2025. Team India, which claimed the bronze medal in the previous edition, will be eyeing the top podium finish this time.
A victory not only brings continental glory but also guarantees a direct qualification to the 2026 Women’s FIH Hockey World Cup, as the Asia Cup champions earn an automatic berth in the prestigious quadrennial event.
Speaking on the tournament, India captain Salima Tete said, “We are excited to begin our campaign in the Women’s Asia Cup. Being placed in Pool B alongside defending champions Japan will test our skills and character from the very start.
"However, facing them in the pool stage will be a great opportunity to measure ourselves early in the tournament. Our focus will be on playing smart, disciplined hockey and taking it one match at a time. The ultimate goal is to lift the trophy and earn a direct spot in the 2026 Women’s FIH Hockey World Cup,†she added.
Echoing Salima's sentiments, vice-captain Navneet Kaur said, “It will be a challenging tournament with Asia's top teams competing with each other, but we see it as a chance to bring out our best right from the first whistle. We’ve been training with intensity and purpose, and we will aim to execute our plans on the field during the tournament.
Playing against Japan in the group stage gives us an early look at high-pressure hockey, which can only help us grow stronger as a unit. We’re determined to make this Asia Cup campaign count and make the country proud,†she said.
Notably, the Indian women's hockey team last won the Asia Cup back in 2017, when they defeated China in the final to lift the title.
India's schedule for Asia Cup 2025:
Sept 5, 2025: India vs Thailand
Sept 6, 2025: Japan vs India
Sept 8, 2025: India vs Singapore
— IANS
Reader Comments
So proud of our women's hockey team! They've been performing consistently well in recent years. The match against Japan will be crucial - if we can beat them in pool stage, it will give massive confidence for knockout matches. All the best girls! 🇮🇳ðŸ‘
Playing in China will be tough - both because of the competition and the conditions. Hope our sports ministry provides all necessary support including proper acclimatization. Remember how our athletes suffered in Hangzhou Asian Games due to food issues.
The team has shown great improvement since their Tokyo Olympics performance. Salima Tete and Navneet Kaur are such inspiring leaders! Hope Star Sports broadcasts all matches live - women's sports deserve equal coverage. #SupportWomenInSports
While I'm excited about the tournament, I'm concerned about our defense against Japan. They thrashed us 5-0 in last Asia Cup. Coach must work on penalty corner conversions and man-to-man marking. Still, best wishes to the team!
The schedule is quite tight with back-to-back matches against Thailand and Japan. Team management should rotate players wisely. Thailand match should be used to settle nerves before the big Japan clash. Go for gold, girls! 💛
Automatic World Cup qualification makes this extra important. Hope the girls get proper foreign exposure tours before this tournament. Last time we lost to China in semis - this time we should aim to defeat both China and Japan to reclaim the title!
Here are 6 diverse Indian perspective comments for the article: We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.