Hockey India Explains Saffron Jersey Decision Ahead of 2026 FIH World Cup

On 27 July, Hockey India released a video on social media confirming that both Indian teams would wear saffron jerseys instead of their traditional blue uniforms at next month's FIH World Cup. The decision triggered criticism on social media, with questions also raised by former men's team captain Viren Rasquinha.

Issuing a clarification on Thursday (30 July), Hockey India said the change in the primary uniform colour was made after it was found that the earlier blue kits visually blended with the blue synthetic playing surfaces used at international hockey venues.

"We wish to inform you that the decision to change the uniform colour was based on recommendations from, and detailed consultations with, the support staff and players. The primary consideration was technical. It was observed that the blue playing uniform tended to blend with the blue synthetic playing surface, which is now the standard colour for international hockey pitches. This visual similarity affected on-field clarity and visibility for the players," Hockey India said in a statement.

The controversy around the jersey change intensified after Rasquinha's post questioning Hockey India's decision gained widespread attention. However, on Thursday, the former India captain also criticised what he described as unnecessary politicisation of his comments.

"I'm seeing many unnecessary political comments on this. I don't want to get into any of that. My simple & humble point is on pride, identity & legacy. India is to hockey what Argentina is to Football. Will we ever see Argentina wearing Orange and White stripes as their 1st jersey?" he wrote on X.

Hockey India stated that suggestions for alternative colours were sought before the final decision was made. The governing body said yellow and saffron were among the options suggested by coaches and players, with saffron eventually selected as the base colour.

"In light of the above, the coaches and players suggested alternative colours, such as yellow or saffron. After careful consideration, saffron was finalised. Apart from addressing the technical requirement, saffron holds deep significance as one of the colours of our National Flag, symbolising courage, sacrifice, and national pride," the statement added.

Hockey India also pointed out that changes to India's hockey jerseys have taken place previously due to functional and other requirements. The body noted that the national team's playing kit was changed to yellow during the 2014 FIH Hockey World Cup, while it was changed to sky blue with a completely different design during the 2018 FIH Hockey World Cup.

"The present change to saffron was implemented after considering both the technical feedback received from the coaches and players and the symbolic value associated with the colour being part of our National Flag," Hockey India concluded.

The clarification comes as India prepares for the 2026 FIH World Cup in the Netherlands and Belgium, with the national teams set to enter the tournament wearing a redesigned kit aimed at improving visibility on the international hockey surface.