New Delhi, October 14, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Indian men’s hockey captain Harmanpreet Singh is looking forward to a deeply personal moment when India compete in the Men’s Asian Champions Trophy Punjab 2026, as his family, including his father, is expected to watch him represent the country live in a stadium for the first time.
The tournament, scheduled from October 27 to November 5, will bring international men’s hockey back to Punjab, a state that has played a major role in producing generations of Indian hockey talent.
“It’s going to be a special occasion for the entire team, especially for the players who belong to Punjab because it’s the first time that we will be wearing India jersey at an international tournament in Punjab,” Harmanpreet said.
“My entire family is expected to be at the stadium watching me play an international match together from the venue for the first time, including my father who has never seen me play for the country while sitting inside the stadium,” the Indian skipper added.
Harmanpreet, who led India to gold medals at two consecutive Asian Games, said the tournament would hold particular significance for players from Punjab, who will get an opportunity to represent the country on home soil.
India will face Malaysia, South Korea, China, Japan and Bangladesh in the six-team competition, which will be hosted in Jalandhar and Mohali. India will begin their campaign against Bangladesh in Jalandhar on October 27.
The league stage will run from October 27 to November 2 at the Olympian Surjit Singh Hockey Stadium in Jalandhar’s Burlton Park, which will also host the opening ceremony. The tournament will then move to Mohali’s Olympian Balbir Singh Senior International Hockey Stadium for the semi-finals and medal matches on November 4 and 5.
Punjab’s contribution to Indian hockey will be a major backdrop to the event. The state has produced celebrated players such as Udham Singh, Balbir Singh Sr, Manpreet Singh and Harmanpreet himself. Jalandhar, particularly the hockey-playing communities of Sansarpur and Mithapur, has long been associated with the sport.
India enter the tournament as defending champions and the most successful team in its history, having won the Asian Champions Trophy five times—in 2011, 2016, 2018 jointly, 2023 and 2024.
The competition will follow a round-robin format, with each team playing the other once. The top four sides will qualify for the semi-finals.
Beyond the title defence, the tournament will give Indian players from Punjab the opportunity to compete internationally in front of local supporters. For Harmanpreet, it will also offer a rare chance to share the experience of watching him play for India with his family, particularly his father.
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