Kakamigahara, Japan – 29 May 2026
The Men’s and Women’s U18 Asia Cup 2026 officially got underway in Kakamigahara, Japan, with four exciting matches showcasing the future stars of Asian hockey.
The opening day delivered an impressive 34 goals across both tournaments, with India, China, and Korea making strong statements in their opening fixtures.
Men’s U18 Asia Cup
India enjoyed a dream start to their Pool A campaign, recording a commanding 13-0 victory over Kazakhstan. Prahalad Rajbhar was named Player of the Match following an outstanding individual performance that helped India secure all three points.
In the day’s second men’s fixture, Korea overcame Chinese Taipei 4-1 in an entertaining Pool A encounter. Ham Sangyeon earned Player of the Match honours after playing a key role in Korea’s successful start to the tournament.
Women’s U18 Asia Cup
China opened their Pool B campaign with an emphatic 8-1 victory over Chinese Taipei. Feng Jiaxin delivered an excellent performance and was deservedly named Player of the Match as China secured maximum points on opening day.
The final match of the day saw Korea produce another dominant display, defeating Singapore 8-0 in Pool A. Team captain Kwon Hayeon led by example and received the Player of the Match award following an impressive all-round performance.
Day 1 Results
Men’s U18 Asia Cup
– India 13-0 Kazakhstan
– Korea 4-1 Chinese Taipei
Women’s U18 Asia Cup
– China 8-1 Chinese Taipei
– Korea 8-0 Singapore
Players of the Match
Men’s U18 Asia Cup
– Prahalad Rajbhar (India)
– Ham Sangyeon (Korea)
Women’s U18 Asia Cup
– Feng Jiaxin (China)
– Kwon Hayeon (Korea)
With the opening day now complete, teams will quickly turn their attention to the next round of pool matches as the race for a place in the knockout stages continues.
Fans can watch all matches live and catch up on highlights via the official Asian Hockey YouTube channel:
http://www.youtube.com/@official_asian_hockey
