India hockey reverts to blue home kits for Asian Games 2026
Hockey India has designated traditional blue as the first-choice home kit colour for its men's and women's teams at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, reversing
India's men's and women's hockey teams will wear traditional blue home kits at the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. According to a Sportstar report cited by Khel Now, Hockey India (HI) has submitted blue as its first-choice colour to the Indian Olympic Association, with saffron listed as the secondary option.
This marks a reversal from the federation's earlier, contentious move. For the upcoming FIH Hockey World Cup 2026, HI had decided to replace the long-standing blue kits with saffron as the primary home colour. That decision drew criticism from former players, federation members, and fans.
HI treasurer Shekar Manoharan confirmed the policy shift for the Asian Games. "The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) asked us our preferred choice of kit, and HI has given the first preference as blue, with the secondary colour being saffron," Manoharan told Sportstar.
The federation had previously justified the switch to saffron by stating that blue kits could blend into the blue artificial turf used in international matches. They argued this made it harder for players to spot teammates. That rationale has now been set aside for the continental tournament.
Teams prepare for title defence
Both Indian squads have qualified for the 20th Asian Games by finishing in the top six at the previous edition. The men's team are the defending champions, having won gold at the Hangzhou 2023 Games.
Hockey India announced its 20-member squads in July. The men's team, coached by Craig Fulton and captained by Harmanpreet Singh, will begin their title defence against Indonesia on September 20. The women's team, under coach Sjoerd Marijne and captain Salima Tete, starts its campaign against Uzbekistan on the same day.
Tournament and venue details
The 2026 Asian Games will be held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from September 19 to October 4. All hockey matches for the tournament will be played at the Gifu Prefectural Green Stadium in Gifu, Japan.
The return to blue kits for a major tournament signals a response to the earlier backlash. The saffron kits, now designated as the second choice, will likely be worn only if a kit clash necessitates a change.
