Asian Games 2026: Hockey India’s kit sparks saffron debate, but blue remains central

Hockey India has clarified that blue will be its primary colour preference and saffron its secondary choice for the 2026 Asian Games, but the decision does not mean the federation has permanently abandoned the saffron jersey.

The clarification comes amid speculation that India’s hockey teams are returning to their traditional blue kits on a permanent basis. Hockey India, however, has made no such announcement. Its current decision applies specifically to the Asian Games, while the colour scheme for future tournaments will be decided separately.

• The final Asian Games kits are yet to be unveiled.
• Blue primary, saffron secondary

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) had asked Hockey India to submit its preferred colours for the Asian Games kits.

Hockey India president Dilip Tirkey confirmed that the federation chose blue as its first preference and saffron as its second.

“IOA asked us about our preference of colour for kit, we gave blue as primary and saffron as the second one. As I had already said before the World Cup that the colour change is not permanent,” Tirkey said on the sidelines of the Asian Games contingent send-off on Tuesday.

Hockey India treasurer Sekar J. Manoharan also confirmed the preference.

“We were asked to give our preference for kits and we gave blue and saffron. Blue being the primary one and saffron as secondary,” he said.

Manoharan further clarified that the decision was limited to the Asian Games.

“This is for Asian Games. Where it will be blue as primary and saffron secondary.”

Asked about future tournaments, he said: “For future tournaments, we will discuss and see how it is. For Asian Games, it will be blue and saffron.”

Hockey India also told India Today that there is no official decision to permanently stop using saffron, making claims of a permanent return to blue premature.

Why did the confusion arise?

The speculation stems from the recent controversy surrounding India’s hockey jersey colours.

India’s teams have traditionally been identified with blue, but Hockey India had introduced saffron as the primary colour for the FIH Hockey World Cups. The move attracted criticism and also led to differences within the federation.

Tirkey had previously questioned the decision-making process behind the change, saying it had not been approved by Hockey India’s elected leadership and Executive Board. He had also maintained that the switch to saffron was not permanent.

For the 2026 Asian Games, however, Hockey India has now formally placed blue ahead of saffron in its list of preferred colours.

Final kit still awaited

Hockey India’s submission to the IOA is only a colour preference. The final design and official Asian Games kits have not yet been released.

As a result, it remains unclear exactly how prominently blue and saffron will feature in the final jerseys.

For now, the federation’s position is straightforward: blue is the preferred primary colour for the Asian Games, with saffron as the secondary option.

It is therefore too early to describe the move as a permanent return to blue—or as the end of the saffron jersey. Hockey India has said that colours for future tournaments will be discussed separately.