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 on Monday releasing the tournament logo in the presence of Asian Hockey Federation officials.
The Men’s Asian Champions Trophy 2026 will be held from October 27 to November 5, with the league stage scheduled at the Olympian Surjit Singh Hockey Stadium in Jalandhar. The tournament will then move to Mohali for the semi-finals on November 4 and the final on November 5.
The six-team competition will feature India and Pakistan, with their much-anticipated clash scheduled for November 1 in Jalandhar, coinciding with Punjab Day.
Mann said the India-Pakistan encounter would be one of the biggest attractions of the championship and that the occasion would be particularly special for Punjab. He said sporting rivalry should remain intense on the field while respecting the spirit of the game beyond it.
The Chief Minister said the Punjab government has committed Rs 25.40 crore for organising the tournament and that the entire government machinery would work towards making it a major sporting spectacle. Entry to all matches will be free to bring youngsters and hockey enthusiasts closer to the sport.
Calling the tournament an “emotional homecoming” of hockey to its heartland, Mann said Punjab’s contribution to Indian hockey was an inseparable part of the state’s identity.
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. During the Paris 2024 Olympics, 10 players from Punjab represented India, with Harmanpreet Singh leading the national team.
Mann said Jalandhar would host the opening ceremony and league matches, while Mohali would stage the decisive semi-finals and final. He added that the state government wanted visiting teams to experience international-standard facilities and spectators to take pride in the event.
He said Pakistan’s participation would add significant sporting interest and attract hockey fans from across the region and the country.
Mann also noted that the hockey federations of India and Pakistan have maintained cordial sporting relations and said the tournament should reflect “the true spirit of competition” — intense on the field but respectful beyond it.
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