New Delhi, Oct 30 (IANS): The 2016 National Hockey Championship will be played from April 11 to May 1 in Saifai, Uttar Pradesh.

The championship has been divided into two sections -- A and B. The A section, matches will be held from April 19 to May 1, and the B section ties will be played between April 11-21.

The women's championship will be held in Bengaluru from April 19 to May 1. The A section matches will be held from April 25 to May 1 while the B section games will played between April 19 to 27.

The junior national championship for both girls and boys will be held in Ranchi. The boys' event will be held from April 12 to 24 and the girls' will play from April 24 to May 8.

The sub-junior boys' tournament will be held in Imphal from May 6 to 22. The sub-junior girls' event will be played first in the Assamese town Nagaon from January 29 to February 6 and then will be played in in the state capital Guwahati from February 8 to 16.

"I am delighted and eager for the action to begin in the sixth Hockey India (HI) National Championships from January 2016," HI secretary general Mohd. Mushtaque Ahmad said on Friday.

"These championships have brought forward the future stars of Indian hockey and its nothing less than an honour to see how youngsters from all corners of the country are working hard towards making a career for themselves in the sport. I am confident the National Championships are going to unearth some bright future stars for Indian hockey."

The tournament will see the Railways Sports Promotion Board (RSPB) defend their titles in both senior men and women categories. Hockey Odisha will be defending their junior boys title while Hockey Haryana will do the same in junior women.

Hockey Odisha and Hockey Punjab will be defending the sub-junior men's and women's titles respectively.