Asian Games Final Had To Wait: Why India vs China Hockey Was Delayed

The Asian Games 2026 women's hockey final between India and China was delayed on Friday after heavy traffic disrupted the teams' journey to the Gifu Prefectural Green Stadium.

The gold-medal match, originally scheduled to begin at 3 PM IST, was pushed back by 45 minutes after an accident near the venue caused significant congestion in the area. The incident was unrelated to either team, but the resulting traffic delayed the arrival of the players at the stadium.

The match was subsequently scheduled to begin at 4:15 PM IST.

Why was India vs China final delayed?

The delay was caused by an accident near the Gifu Prefectural Green Stadium in Gifu Prefecture, which led to a major traffic build-up around the venue.

With the team buses caught in the congestion, the players were unable to reach the stadium according to the original schedule. The organisers therefore pushed back the start of the final to allow both teams to arrive and complete their preparations.

The delay came just hours before India and China were due to contest the Asian Games women's hockey gold medal, with the winner also securing direct qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

India chasing first Asian Games gold since 1982

The extended wait has only added to the significance of the final for India.

India have won the women's hockey gold at the Asian Games only once, when they triumphed in New Delhi in 1982. They subsequently finished runners-up in 1998 and 2018, losing the finals to South Korea and Japan respectively.

India reached the final after beating South Korea 2-0 in the semifinal, with Ishika Chaudhary and captain Salima Tete scoring the goals.

Chief coach Sjoerd Marijne acknowledged the quality of the challenge posed by China but backed his side to make the necessary adjustments after the semifinal.

"We have confidence, but we also realize that China is a very good team. They are still number four in the world," Marijne said.

India and China bring attacking firepower

India have been among the tournament's most prolific sides, combining penalty-corner efficiency with goals from open play.

Deepika has led India's scoring charts with 21 goals in six matches, including 19 from penalty corners. Navneet Kaur has added 10 goals, with seven coming from field play.

China have also shown considerable attacking threat, led by Zhong Jiaqi with nine goals. Chen Yi and Zhang Ying have contributed seven goals apiece.

With Olympic qualification also at stake, the final carries significance beyond the Asian Games medal itself. India are now one match away from ending a 44-year wait for women's hockey gold at the continental Games.