Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], September 3 (ANI): The 6th Hockey India Senior Men Inter-Department National Championship 2026 is all set to begin on Friday in Hyderabad.
The prestigious tournament will see 20 departmental teams from across the country compete for top honours, with the championship set to conclude with the Final on September 14, according to Hockey India.
The participating teams have been divided into four pools. Pool A comprises Petroleum Sports Promotion Board, Sashastra Seema Bal, Central Secretariat, I.T.B.P. Central Hockey Team and Punjab National Bank.
Pool B features Comptroller & Auditor General of India, Defence Accounts Sports Control Board, Sports Authority of India, Central Reserve Police Force and Punjab & Sind Bank.
Pool C consists of Services Sports Control Board, Steel Plant Sports Board, All India Police Sports Control Board, Central Board of Direct Taxes and Union Bank of India, while Pool D includes Food Corporation of India, Tamil Nadu Police, Railway Sports Promotion Board, Canara Bank and Central Industrial Security Force.
The tournament will begin with a packed opening day, with Comptroller & Auditor General of India taking on Central Reserve Police Force and Sports Authority of India facing Defence Accounts Sports Control Board in Pool B.
In Pool A, defending champions Petroleum Sports Promotion Board will begin their campaign against Sashastra Seema Bal, while Central Secretariat will face I.T.B.P. Central Hockey Team.
Services Sports Control Board will take on Steel Plant Sports Board, All India Police Sports Control Board will face Union Bank of India, Food Corporation of India will meet Tamil Nadu Police, and Railway Sports Promotion Board will take on Canara Bank, the release said.
Speaking ahead of the Championship, Hockey India President Dilip Tirkey said, “The Hockey India Senior Men Inter-Department National Championship continues to be an important platform for players to compete at a high level and showcase their talent. The participation of 20 teams this year reflects the growing strength and depth of hockey across departments. I am confident that the tournament in Hyderabad will provide some exciting and competitive hockey, while also giving players an opportunity to take another important step in their development.”
Echoing these sentiments, Hockey India Secretary General Bhola Nath Singh said, “The Inter-Department National Championship has grown stronger with every edition and continues to highlight the important contribution of departments and institutions towards Indian hockey. With 20 teams competing this year, we look forward to witnessing intense competition throughout the tournament. I wish all the participating teams the very best and hope we see some memorable performances in Hyderabad.”
The defending champions, Petroleum Sports Promotion Board, will enter the tournament with confidence after securing the title in the 5th edition in 2025. Petroleum Sports Promotion Board defeated Comptroller & Auditor General of India 3-0 in the Final in Jamshedpur, with Sumit Kumar and Sudeep Chirmako scoring in the first half before Yousuf Affan sealed the victory with a late field goal.
The 2025 edition also saw Services Sports Control Board finish on the podium, defeating Food Corporation of India 3-2 in a shootout after the third/fourth-place match ended 1-1.
Petroleum Sports Promotion Board will be aiming to defend their crown in Hyderabad, having also lifted the title in 2024. The side's consistent performances over the previous editions will make them one of the teams to watch, while several other strong departmental outfits will be looking to challenge for the coveted trophy.
The pool stage will continue until 9th September, followed by a rest day on 10th September. The Quarter-Finals are scheduled for 11th September, with the Semi-Finals set for 13th September. The championship will conclude with the third/fourth-place match and the final on 14th September. (ANI)
6th Hockey India Senior Men Inter-Department National Championship 2026 to begin in Hyderabad
