Asia Cup 2025: Rajgir set for hockey’s grand return as India eye World Cup berth

When you step into Rajgir, the charm of this historic city instantly takes over.

Surrounded by lush hills, its name — the City of Kings — feels more apt than ever. Now, Rajgir is set to add another jewel to its sporting crown, as its state-of-the-art sports complex gears up to host hockey’s biggest continental battle — the Men’s Asia Cup 2025.

Eight nations will fight for the crown, and more importantly, a direct ticket to the 2026 Men’s World Cup. The buzz is undeniable. After the roaring success of the Women’s Asian Champions Trophy 2024, which saw record crowds, Rajgir is once again ready to welcome fans in droves. Tickets for the Asia Cup sold out in just minutes, prompting organisers to open the gates for free entry — a move that has only fueled the frenzy.

India’s do-or-die moment

For India, this tournament carries extra weight. Ranked No. 7 in the world and the highest among the participating teams, Harmanpreet Singh and his men start as favourites. Yet, the stakes are higher than ever. Having failed to seal World Cup qualification through the FIH Pro League, where they endured seven defeats in eight matches, this is their final chance.

Coach Craig Fulton has fielded a full-strength squad, knowing the flaws from the Pro League — a leaky defence that conceded 26 goals, over-reliance on Harmanpreet for penalty corners, and shaky goalkeeping since PR Sreejesh’s retirement — must be fixed fast.

“Our expectation is clear — win the Asia Cup and secure World Cup qualification. It will be tough, but we believe in the work we’ve done. If we execute our plans well, we can achieve our goal,” Fulton said ahead of the tournament.

Tournament structure

Pool A: India, China, Japan, Kazakhstan

Pool B: Korea (defending champions), Malaysia, Bangladesh, Chinese Taipei
The top two from each pool will progress to the Super 4s, leading to the grand final on September 7.

India’s Pool A fixtures:

• vs China – Aug 29, 3 pm IST
• vs Japan – Aug 31, 3 pm IST
• vs Kazakhstan – Sept 1, 7:30 pm IST

Asian record offers hope

India can draw confidence from their dominance in recent Asian competitions, scoring 94 goals in 14 matches across the 2023 Asian Games and the 2024 Asian Champions Trophy. But past lessons still sting — their third-place finish in the 2022 Asia Cup exposed how costly complacency can be.

Opponents like Korea and Japan have previously upset India, while China — their opening-day rivals — stretched them to the limit in the 2024 Asian Champions Trophy final. Even Malaysia are dangerous on their day.

Captain Harmanpreet Singh has struck a cautious note:

“Every team here is strong. We must stay disciplined, play smartly, and maintain our structure. That’s the mindset in our dressing room.”

Curtain rises in Rajgir

As Rajgir prepares for its grand hockey return, fans are ready to make the atmosphere electric. For India, however, beyond the cheers lies a far greater test. Their last shot at automatic World Cup qualification begins now — and only flawless hockey will decide whether the City of Kings crowns them Asia’s kings once again.