Rajgir (Bihar)– In a historic triumph, India captured its fourth Hockey Asia Cup title after defeating five-time champions South Korea 4–1 in the final on Sunday. The victory not only restored India’s continental supremacy but also earned the team a direct qualification for the 2026 FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup, to be held in Belgium and the Netherlands.
Striker Dilpreet Singh, named Man of the Match, led the charge with two spectacular field goals in the second and third quarters. Earlier, Sukhjeet Singh opened the scoring in the very first minute through a sharp volley set up by captain Harmanpreet Singh’s aerial pass. Dilpreet doubled the lead just before halftime, and later extended it to 3–0. Amit Rohidas sealed the win with a powerful penalty corner strike in the 50th minute. South Korea managed a consolation goal through Dyan Seon.
This win adds to India’s previous Asia Cup titles in 2003 (Kuala Lumpur), 2007 (Chennai), and 2017 (Dhaka). Striker Abhishek, who netted six goals in the tournament, was adjudged Man of the Tournament.

Chief coach Craig Fulton expressed delight, noting: “Our goal was to win the Asia Cup and secure a spot in the World Cup. I’m happy we achieved that. The team showed consistency, winning six out of seven matches, and this gives us a year to prepare for 2026.”

Captain Harmanpreet Singh praised the team’s collective effort, adding: “We learnt from our earlier draw against Korea and executed our strategy well in the final.”
Meanwhile, Malaysia claimed third place, defeating China 4–1, thanks to a brace each from Syed Cholan and Akhimullah Onur.
India’s emphatic victory signals a strong buildup to the 2026 World Cup, with the squad now setting its sights on the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup and other preparatory tournaments in the coming year.
