New Delhi, Nov 3 : The 14th edition of the Senior Men Hockey National Championship is set to kick off on Monday at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Hockey Stadium in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. A total of 31 teams, divided into eight pools, will compete in the tournament, which will run until November 16.

During the league stage, each team will play against every other team in their pool. The top team from each pool will advance to the quarterfinals on November 13, followed by the semifinals on November 15, and the final and 3rd/4th place play-off on November 16.

Pool A features defending champions Hockey Punjab along with Dadra & Nagar Haveli And Daman & Diu Hockey and Chhattisgarh Hockey. Pool B includes Hockey Haryana, Telangana Hockey, Hockey Himachal, and Hockey Mizoram. Pool C comprises Hockey Unit of Tamil Nadu, Hockey Madhya Pradesh, Hockey Andhra Pradesh, and Hockey Andaman & Nicobar. Pool D includes Hockey Karnataka, Hockey Chandigarh, Hockey Uttarakhand, and Tripura Hockey.

In Pool E, Hockey Association of Odisha will compete with Le Puducherry Hockey, Hockey Rajasthan, and Hockey Arunachal. Pool F includes Uttar Pradesh Hockey, Delhi Hockey, Kerala Hockey, and Hockey Jammu and Kashmir. Pool G consists of Hockey Jharkhand, Hockey Maharashtra, Goans Hockey, and Hockey Gujarat. Pool H features Manipur Hockey, Hockey Bengal, Hockey Bihar, and Assam Hockey.

The tournament will open with a series of matches, including Uttar Pradesh Hockey vs. Kerala Hockey and Hockey Karnataka vs. Hockey Uttarakhand, among other exciting fixtures, setting the stage for a thrilling championship.

Hockey India president Dilip Tirkey expressed his enthusiasm for the upcoming tournament, saying, "We are delighted to host the 14th Hockey India Senior Men National Championship in Chennai, a city with a rich hockey legacy. This championship provides a platform for showcasing the best talent from across the country and is a key event in developing the future stars of Indian hockey. I wish all the teams the very best as they compete for top honours."

Echoing this sentiment, Hockey India secretary general Bhola Nath Singh added, "This championship promises to deliver high-quality hockey and intense competition. We have seen tremendous growth in participation, and it's heartening to see the enthusiasm from all corners of the country. I look forward to some exciting matches as the teams compete for the coveted title."

/IANS