Hockey Asian Champions Trophy in Punjab fulfills players' dreams

Punjab will host its first major hockey tournament, the Asian Champions Trophy, from October 27 to November 5. Matches are in Jalandhar and Mohali, with India facing Pakistan on November 1. This fulfills a dream for Punjabi players.

Hockey India secretary general Bhola Nath Singh expressed happiness at Punjab hosting the Hockey Asian Champions Trophy this year in October, saying that the tournament is going to fulfill dreams of stalwarts like Harmanpreet Singh and Manpreet Singh among several players to play international hockey in front of their fans in their home state of Punjab.

Punjab Makes Historic Announcement

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann made a historic announcement that the state will be hosting its first-ever major hockey tournament, with Team India defending their titles against top Asian sides in Hockey Asian Champions Trophy from October 27 onwards, with arch-rivals Pakistan set to travel to India for the tournament as well. In a post on X, CM Mann announced that the tournament will take place from October 27 to November 5, with matches to be played in Jalandhar and Mohali, with the latter hosting the semifinals and final. On November 1, which marks the 'Punjab Day', arch-rivals India and Pakistan will lock horns in a hotly-anticipated clash in Jalandhar.

'A Dream Fulfilled for Players'

Talking to ANI, Bhola Nath said, "It is a matter of great joy. I am really happy and incredibly proud to be fulfilling dreams of players today. I am going to fulfill the dreams of players like captain Harmanpreet and Manpreet, who are among the players to have played the most matches for India. They have played most their matches all over the world, on every kind of pitch, but have not got to play an international tournament on their home soil of Punjab. They used to tell us that they have played everywhere, but have never got a chance to play in front of their people in Punjab."

"I would like to thank the Chief Minister and the state government for putting together such a massive tournament. They took charge of organizing it, reached out, and I agreed. Today, such a huge tournament is happening at the Jalandhar and Mohali stadiums. It is a really big deal. I would like to request the people here to come out and watch it in as large numbers as possible," he added.

Top Asian Nations to Compete

On being asked about the teams participating, he named, "India, Pakistan, Malaysia, Korea, China, and Japan."

Highly-Anticipated India-Pakistan Clash

Bhola Nath is also excited for the India-Pakistan clash on November 1, saying that a lot of Pakistan players are Punjabis too and the matches between both nations is going to produce a "completely different atmosphere".

"Most of the players there (in Pakistan) are Punjabis too. When India plays Pakistan, there is a different vibe among both players and the fans. You will get to see the same energy here in Punjab. It is going to be a completely different atmosphere," he added.

Hopes for Asian Games Gold

Bhola Nath was appreciative of men's hockey team's consistent performances over last few years, including dominance in Asian-level tournaments and back-to-back Olympic bronze medals in 2021 and 2024 and acknowledged that the performance at the recently-concluded FIH Men's Hockey World Cup, where the team finished seventh, was not as good as expected. He nonetheless stays positive of India's chances of winning the gold at upcoming Asian Games in Japan, starting from September 19 onwards and achieving a direct spot in Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.

"Sometimes a tournament just goes badly, whether it is due to overconfidence or some other factor. I have been a player too. There are certain days and situations that just aren't in our hands. My fellow players are great; all the players are fantastic. Just look at yesterday's results—our two kids won the Junior Asia Cup Men's and Women's Junior Asia Cup. And right now, you have the Asian Games in Japan. I am really hopeful our athletes will win gold in both the men's and women's events and qualify for the LA 2028 Games," he signed off.

Venues and Schedule

The tournament will be jointly hosted by Mohali and Jalandhar, with matches taking place at the Olympian Balbir Singh Senior International Hockey Stadium, Mohali, and the Olympian Surjit Singh Hockey Stadium, Jalandhar.

Jalandhar will host the opening ceremony as well as all league-stage matches from October 27 to November 2. The tournament will then move to Mohali, which will stage the semi-finals on November 4 and the final on November 5, bringing the competition to a grand conclusion.

Celebrating Punjab's Hockey Legacy

On the occasion of tournament launch, Hockey India's Secretary General Bhola Nath Singh, Director General Cdr RK Srivastava, Executive Board Member RP Singh and Hockey Punjab President Nitin Kohli were also present.

The tournament is set to feature some of the continent’s top hockey nations, with India, Pakistan, South Korea, Malaysia, China and Japanlisted among the participating teams. Oman and Bangladesh are the reserve teams.

The Men’s Asian Champions Trophy is one of the premier events on the Asian Hockey Federation calendar and provides a high-quality competitive platform for the continent’s leading teams. The 2026 edition is expected to attract significant attention from hockey fans across India and Asia, while showcasing Punjab’s rich hockey heritage and its contribution to the sport. With the tournament being hosted across two iconic hockey venues, the event will also provide an opportunity to celebrate the legacy of Punjab’s legendary players and strengthen the state’s position as one of India’s foremost hockey hubs.

“Punjab has a proud hockey legacy, and we are delighted that Mohali and Jalandhar will host the Hero Men’s Asian Champions Trophy 2026. We sincerely thank and appreciate the Punjab Government’s support,” said Dr Dilip Tirkey, President, Hockey India.

Lastly, India secured the Asian Champions Trophy title in 2024, beating China in the final. It was their fifth title and the tournament was hosted by China in September that year. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)