Kuala lumpur: The national men's hockey team are targeting a place in the final, while the women's team are aiming to secure a semi-final berth at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games. National team manager Datuk Ahmad Najmi Abdul Razak said the targets are based on the preparations made by both teams, as well as the improvement shown by the men's squad at the recent 2026 World Cup.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Ahmad Najmi highlighted that the men's squad had improved in terms of performance, spirit, and statistics compared with their previous World Cup appearance, despite finishing 16th in the latest edition. He noted that the experience of facing higher-ranked teams at the World Cup had also benefited the squad coached by Brendon Carolan, as they are now better prepared to face Asian sides such as India, Pakistan, and China.

Ahmad Najmi stated, "What I see today is that our team under coach Brendon has shown a more positive attitude and greater fighting spirit, especially in embracing the new hockey strategy introduced by Brendon." The national men's squad have been drawn in Group B alongside Uzbekistan, Oman, Thailand, Pakistan, and China. They will open their campaign against Uzbekistan on Sept 20, followed by Oman on Sept 22, Thailand on Sept 24, Pakistan on Sept 26, and China on Sept 28.

Men's team head coach Brendon emphasized that their immediate target is to top the group to improve their chances of reaching the final. He mentioned that the matches against Pakistan and China would be crucial in their bid to top the group.

Meanwhile, national women's squad head coach Seash Kumar said his team would need to defeat at least one of the favourites, China and South Korea, to achieve their target of reaching the semi-finals. He added that the women's squad, who are in Group A, will open their campaign against Kazakhstan on Sept 18, followed by Bangladesh on Sept 21, China on Sept 23, Taiwan on Sept 25, and South Korea on Sept 27.