Punjab will host the Hockey Asian Champions Trophy 2026 for the first time, with India facing Pakistan on November 1 in Jalandhar. The tournament will feature six nations, with semi-finals and final scheduled in Mohali.
Punjab is set to make history by hosting the Hockey Asian Champions Trophy 2026 for the first time, bringing one of Asia’s premier international hockey competitions to the state from October 27 to November 5. The tournament will feature six leading hockey nations, with the much-anticipated India-Pakistan encounter scheduled for November 1 at the Olympian Surjit Singh Hockey Stadium in Jalandhar.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Monday released the official logo of the Hockey Asian Champions Trophy 2026 in the presence of officials from the Asian Hockey Federation. Describing the championship as a matter of immense pride for Punjab, Mann said the tournament would provide an opportunity for hockey fans to witness international-level competition on home soil.
The league-stage matches will be played at the Olympian Surjit Singh Hockey Stadium in Jalandhar. The tournament will subsequently move to Mohali, where the semi-finals are scheduled for November 4 and the final will be played on November 5.
The India-Pakistan match on November 1 is expected to be one of the biggest attractions of the championship. The contest will coincide with Punjab Day, adding further significance to the highly anticipated sporting occasion.
“The India-Pakistan encounter on November 1 in Jalandhar will be one of the biggest attractions of the tournament. The match will coincide with Punjab Day, making the occasion even more special for the people of Punjab. India and Pakistan may have their rivalries on the hockey field, but sport has its own language,” Mann said.
The Punjab government has committed Rs 25.40 crore for organising the championship. Mann said the entire government machinery would work to ensure that the tournament is conducted successfully and provides international-standard facilities to participating teams and spectators.
In a major move aimed at encouraging greater public participation, entry to all matches will be completely free. The initiative is expected to bring more young people and hockey enthusiasts closer to the sport and create a strong atmosphere around the championship venues.
Mann said hosting the Men’s Asian Champions Trophy was more than simply organising an international sporting event for Punjab. According to him, the championship represents the return of high-level international hockey to a state that has played a significant role in developing Indian hockey.
“The historic Men’s Asian Champions Trophy 2026 is not merely a hockey tournament for Punjab. It is an emotional homecoming of the sport to the land that has nurtured generations of Indian hockey heroes,” the Chief Minister said.
Highlighting Punjab’s contribution to Indian hockey, Mann pointed to villages and towns such as Sansarpur, Khusropur and Mithapur, which have produced several prominent players. He said Punjab has produced more than 50 Olympic medallists and 10 national captains, including hockey legends Balbir Singh Sr., Udham Singh and Ajit Pal Singh.
The Chief Minister also noted that Punjab’s hockey tradition continues in the present generation. During the Paris 2024 Olympics, 10 players from Punjab represented India, while Harmanpreet Singh led the national team.
Mann said Jalandhar would host the opening ceremony and league-stage matches, while Mohali would stage the decisive semi-finals and final. He stressed that the government’s objective was to ensure that visiting players receive world-class facilities and spectators enjoy a memorable experience.
The participation of Pakistan is expected to add considerable sporting interest to the tournament. Mann said hockey federations on both sides have maintained cordial sporting relations and expressed the hope that the championship would showcase intense competition on the field while maintaining mutual respect outside it.
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With India and Pakistan set to meet in Jalandhar on November 1, the Hockey Asian Champions Trophy 2026 is poised to become a major sporting attraction in Punjab. The combination of international hockey, free entry, world-class venues and Punjab’s deep connection with the sport is expected to generate significant interest among fans across the country.
