SAS Nagar/Chandigarh, September 14, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Punjab is set to host the Hockey Asian Champions Trophy for the first time, with Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann saying the state government will make the international tournament a grand sporting spectacle and use it to reconnect the people with hockey.
Mann released the tournament logo on Monday in the presence of Asian Hockey Federation officials and announced that the championship will be held from October 27 to November 5, with the league stage and opening ceremony at the Olympian Surjit Hockey Stadium in Jalandhar and the semi-finals and final at the Olympian Balbir Singh (Senior) International Hockey Stadium in Mohali.
The tournament will feature India, Pakistan, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia and China. Oman and Bangladesh will remain the reserve teams.
The much-anticipated India-Pakistan clash will be played in Jalandhar at 7 p.m. on November 1, coinciding with Punjab Day. Mann said the government has decided that entry to all matches will be completely free, enabling students, young athletes and hockey enthusiasts to watch international hockey without a financial barrier.
The Punjab Government has sanctioned ₹25.40 crore for the successful organisation of the championship. Of this, ₹22.96 crore is being spent on upgrading the two principal venues, including ₹14 crore for the Jalandhar stadium and ₹8.96 crore for the Mohali stadium.
Calling the tournament an “emotional homecoming” of hockey to the land that has produced generations of Indian hockey stars, Mann said Punjab has contributed more than 50 Olympic medallists and 10 national captains to Indian sport.
He recalled the contributions of legends such as Olympian Balbir Singh Sr., Udham Singh and Ajit Pal Singh, and said 10 Punjab players represented India at the Paris 2024 Olympics, with Harmanpreet Singh leading the national side.
Mann said the India-Pakistan encounter should reflect the sporting spirit, with intense competition on the field and mutual respect beyond it.
He also announced plans to involve schools, colleges, hockey academies, grassroots sports centres, athletes, former players and sports associations in awareness and promotional activities around the tournament.
The opening ceremony and league stage will be held from October 27 to November 2 in Jalandhar. The semi-finals are scheduled for November 4 in Mohali, followed by the final and closing ceremony on November 5.
The Chief Minister said the hosting is part of Punjab’s broader sporting vision. The state has allocated a historic ₹1,743 crore sports budget for the current financial year and is developing 3,148 rural sports grounds, of which 750 have already been inaugurated, along with 6,000 modern gymnasiums, including 500 already operational.
He said athletes preparing for the Olympics receive ₹15 lakh in assistance, while those preparing for the Asian and Commonwealth Games receive ₹8 lakh. Since 2022, more than 40,000 players have received cash awards totalling ₹135 crore.
Mann said the government will also use the successful hosting of the Asian Champions Trophy to strengthen Punjab’s case for staging matches when India hosts the Hockey World Cup in 2030.
“The Asian Champions Trophy 2026 will be a celebration of hockey, a celebration of Punjab and a celebration of the spirit of India,” he said.
President Punjab Hockey Nitin Kohli and other officials were also present on the occasion.
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