New Delhi, October 9, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Pakistan has withdrawn from the men’s Asian Champions Trophy Punjab 2026, with Bangladesh replacing it in the six-team tournament scheduled to be held in Jalandhar and Mohali from October 27 to November 5. Hosts India will begin their campaign against Bangladesh on the opening day.
The Asian Hockey Federation announced the full tournament schedule on Friday following Pakistan’s withdrawal.
The competition will be played at two venues in Punjab: the Olympian Surjit Singh Hockey Stadium in Jalandhar and the Olympian Balbir Singh Senior International Hockey Stadium in Mohali.
Besides defending champions India and Bangladesh, the participating teams are Malaysia, Japan, South Korea and China.
India, fresh from defending their Asian Games gold medal in Japan, will enter the tournament as the highest-ranked team. The five-time champions will aim to extend their strong record in the continental competition.
The opening ceremony will take place on October 27, shortly before India face Bangladesh in their opening match.
The six teams will compete in a single round-robin league, with each side playing five matches. The top four teams at the end of the league stage will advance to the semi-finals.
India’s league-stage schedule is as follows:
- October 27: India vs Bangladesh
- October 29: India vs China
- October 30: India vs Japan
- November 1: India vs Malaysia
- November 2: India vs South Korea
All five of India’s league matches are scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. IST. Rest days during the tournament are October 28, October 31 and November 3.
Jalandhar will host the league-stage matches from October 27 to November 2, after which the tournament will move to Mohali for the knockout stage. The semi-finals are scheduled for November 4, while the bronze-medal and gold-medal matches will take place on November 5.
Pakistan’s withdrawal comes amid restrictions on cross-border sporting exchanges between India and Pakistan. While matches between the two countries in some sports have been held at neutral venues, a similar arrangement was not possible for this hockey tournament, according to the report.
Pakistan had secured a bronze medal at the 2026 Asian Games before withdrawing from the competition.
The tournament is particularly significant for Punjab, marking the return of international hockey to a state widely regarded as one of India’s traditional centres of the sport.
India are the most successful team in Asian Champions Trophy history, having won the title in 2011, 2016, 2018 jointly with Pakistan, 2023 and 2024. The hosts will now look to add another title in front of their home supporters.
Hockey India President Dr Dilip Tirkey welcomed the announcement of the schedule, saying it had added to the anticipation surrounding the tournament.
“The announcement of the match schedule adds to the excitement for the Hero Asian Champions Trophy Punjab 2026. We are delighted to welcome the teams from across Asia to Punjab and look forward to witnessing some high-quality hockey,” Tirkey said.
Hockey India Secretary General Bhola Nath Singh also expressed confidence that the tournament would deliver competitive hockey and showcase Punjab’s hospitality.
“With the schedule now announced, the countdown to the Hero Asian Champions Trophy Punjab 2026 has truly begun. Hockey India is proud to host the participating nations and showcase the passion and hospitality of Punjab. We look forward to an exciting and competitive tournament that brings fans closer to the sport while giving every team an opportunity to perform at the highest level,” Singh said.
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