Suguna Trophy 2026 to Spotlight Tamil Nadu’s Hockey Talent; 700 Players to Participate

The Junior Men Inter-District State Championship for the ‘Suguna Trophy 2026’ will be held from April 28 to May 2, 2026, at Coimbatore and Udumalaipet, marking an important event in the Tamil Nadu hockey calendar. The championship assumes added significance as it will serve as the selection platform for identifying players who will represent the state in the Junior Men’s National Hockey Championship scheduled for July 2026.
Addressing the media, V. Lakshminarayanasamy, President of the Coimbatore District Hockey Association, said the championship will be hosted at the newly inaugurated astro turf ground in R.S. Puram, Coimbatore. The facility, opened around two months ago, has already been witnessing regular hockey activity and local matches. He noted that this would be the first state-level hockey tournament to be conducted in Coimbatore at the new venue.
He further pointed out that Coimbatore had last hosted a senior state-level hockey championship nearly 29 years ago. Since then, the city had been unable to host major tournaments due to the absence of an astro turf facility. The new infrastructure has now opened the doors for Coimbatore to once again become a prominent venue for competitive hockey in Tamil Nadu.
A total of 35 district teams comprising around 700 players will participate in the championship. Of these, 17 teams will play their league matches in Coimbatore, while the remaining teams will compete in Udumalaipet. The knockout stages, including the quarterfinals, semifinals and final, will be held in Coimbatore.
Lakshminarayanasamy added that the championship will provide a strong boost to hockey development in the region while strengthening Tamil Nadu’s continued progress at the national level.
Dr. Senthil Rajkumar, Secretary of the Coimbatore District Hockey Association, said the tournament would be closely monitored by the state selection committee, which will assess players for the Junior Men’s National Championship squad. The evaluation process will include video analysis, data-based performance review and scientific fitness monitoring. A head coach and support staff will also oversee the training of the selected Tamil Nadu junior men’s team.
He added that the same venue in Coimbatore is scheduled to host the 16th Junior Men’s National Hockey Championship in July 2026.
Matches during the state championship will begin at 6.30 a.m. each day and continue until 8.30 p.m., with around 12 matches scheduled daily. League fixtures will be completed during the first three days, followed by the quarterfinals, semifinals and final rounds. Some matches are also expected to be conducted under floodlights, adding to the spectator appeal of the tournament.
Dr.Senthil Rajkumar further added that the Coimbatore district team has been undergoing intensive training at the venue for over 15 days, with players subjected to scientific fitness assessments covering speed, endurance and explosive power.
He said that the tournament will be conducted strictly in accordance with Hockey India rules and regulations, under the supervision of national-level officials. He extended the association’s warm invitation to the general public to witness the matches and encourage the emerging hockey talents of Tamil Nadu.
Vice President Mervyn Jussy proposed the vote of thanks.