Hockey India restores traditional blue kits for Asian Games

India’s men’s and women’s hockey teams will return to their traditional blue home kits for the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. This decision reverses a controversial move by Hockey India to adopt saffron jerseys, which were used during the FIH World Cups.

The shift to saffron had faced significant backlash from fans, former players, and federation members. Internal discord also arose within Hockey India; President Dilip Tirkey previously noted that the saffron kit was implemented without the full knowledge or approval of the federation’s elected leadership and Executive Board.

While Hockey India had previously suggested that blue kits were discontinued because they could blend into the blue artificial turf used in international matches, the federation has now submitted blue as its first-choice color to the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), with saffron designated as the secondary option.