India’s men’s and women’s hockey teams will wear their traditional blue jerseys as their first-choice colour at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, with orange retained as the alternate. Hockey India selected blue after the Indian Olympic Association sought its preferred kit colours for the multi-sport event.
Hockey India treasurer Shekar J. Manoharan confirmed that blue was submitted as the first preference and saffron/orange as the second. The decision comes as both Indian teams prepare for a tournament where the hockey gold medallists will earn direct qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Blue Returns For Asian Games
Blue has long been associated with India’s hockey teams and will once again be the primary colour when the sides take the field in Japan. Hockey India’s choice was made after the Indian Olympic Association asked the federation to indicate its preferred kit colours for the Asian Games. The federation responded with blue as its first preference and orange as the second.
Hockey India treasurer Shekar J. Manoharan confirmed the preference, while Hockey India president Dilip Tirkey also said the team would play in blue at the continental event.
The Asian Games are being held in Aichi-Nagoya from September 19 to October 4, with the hockey competition taking place in Kakamigahara, around 35 kilometres from Nagoya. India’s men’s team, led by Harmanpreet Singh, will begin its campaign against Indonesia on September 20. The team is the defending Asian Games champion, having won the gold medal at the 2023 Hangzhou Games.
Choice Based On Requirements
The kit arrangement also reflects the nature of the Asian Games as a multi-sport event, where athletes compete as part of the larger Indian contingent. Hockey India officials explained that the Indian Olympic Association provided the federation with colour options and sought its preference for the tournament. Blue was subsequently listed as the primary choice, while orange was retained as the alternate.
The colour selection also follows the use of different kit colours in international hockey over the years. During the 2026 World Cup in the Netherlands and Belgium, India used predominantly saffron and white kits. Hockey India had explained at the time that the choice was linked to visibility, as blue jerseys could blend with the blue synthetic playing surface. For the Asian Games, however, the federation has specified blue as its preferred colour.
The Asian Games will also be an important opportunity for both teams to secure Olympic qualification. Under the qualification system, the highest-ranked team in the men’s and women’s hockey competitions at the Games will earn a direct place at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, provided it has not already qualified through another route.
India Targets Olympic Qualification
India’s men’s team will enter the tournament seeking to defend the title it won in Hangzhou in 2023. The squad, captained by Harmanpreet Singh, includes experienced players such as Manpreet Singh alongside a mix of established and younger members. Its Pool A campaign will feature matches against Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
The women’s team will be led by captain Salima Tete and coached by Sjoerd Marijne. Hockey India has selected a 20-member squad featuring experienced players including Savita, Nikki Pradhan, Lalremsiami and Navneet Kaur, alongside younger members of the national setup. The team will face Japan, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia and Uzbekistan in the group stage.
A Familiar Colour Returns
For Indian hockey, the Asian Games will therefore see both teams take the field in a familiar blue, with orange available as the alternate option. The kit decision forms part of the wider preparations for a tournament that carries significance beyond the medals, with direct Olympic qualification on offer.
With the men defending their continental title and the women seeking to secure their place at Los Angeles 2028, the focus now moves firmly to performance in Japan. The return to blue provides the teams with a familiar visual identity as they begin their Asian Games campaigns.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
A national team jersey can carry history and identity, but its meaning is ultimately strengthened by the athletes who wear it and the values they represent on the field. As India’s hockey teams prepare for the Asian Games, the focus can remain on supporting both squads, celebrating their efforts and hoping their campaigns bring strong performances and Olympic qualification. What will you be watching most closely when India takes the field in Japan?
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