Starting on 29 August, Rajgir, India will be the venue for the men’s Hero Asia Cup Rajgir Bihar 2025 – the leading hockey tournament in Asia for men, which is set to occur from 29 August to 7 September. The champions will earn a place in the FIH Hockey World Cup 2026, to be held in Belgium & Netherlands.
Tournament Structure
This tournament will feature 8 teams split into Pool A and Pool B. The top two teams from each pool will advance to a Super 4s stage, where they will compete in a secondary pool and be ranked from one to four. The semi-final matchups will be based on the outcomes of this secondary pool, while the bottom two teams from the initial pool stage will vie for classifications and world ranking points.
Pools
Pool A: China, India, Japan, Kazakhstan
Pool B: Bangladesh, Chinese Taipei, Korea, Malaysia
Match Schedule
The men’s tournament will commence with Pool B matches on 29 August, beginning with Malaysia taking on Bangladesh in the opening match, followed by Korea facing Chinese Taipei. Pool A matches will follow, with all 8 teams participating on the first day. Japan will go up against Kazakhstan to kick off Pool A, and the final match of the day will see hosts India compete against their neighbors, China.
The initial pool stage for the men’s competition will take place from 29 August to 1 September, followed by the secondary pool stage, positional playoffs, and medal matches scheduled from 3-7 September.
World Cup Qualification
The winner of the men’s competition will secure a prestigious position in the FIH Hockey World Cup Belgium and Netherlands 2026.
Six teams have officially qualified for the men’s competition at the FIH Hockey World Cup 2026. Belgium and the Netherlands earned direct qualification as hosts of the event. Australia and Spain secured their spots through their performances in the last two editions of the FIH Hockey Pro League. Argentina qualified via the Pan American Cup, while Germany earned their place through the EuroHockey Championship. Additionally, continental championships in Africa and Oceania, along with Asia, will identify three direct qualifiers for the tournament, with the remaining seven teams securing their spots through the FIH Hockey World Cup Qualifiers in 2026.
Based on their performances at the Pan American Cup and the EuroHockey Championships, the following men’s teams have qualified for the FIH Hockey World Cup Qualifiers 2026: USA, Canada, Chile, France, England, Austria, Poland, Ireland, Wales, and Scotland, with five additional teams qualifying from Asia and one from Africa.
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