Fresh from retaining its men's Asian Games hockey title and securing a direct berth for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, India will now turn its attention to the Asian Champions Trophy, to be played on home soil in Jalandhar and Mohali from October 27 to November 5.
India beat Malaysia in the Asian Games final at Aichi-Nagoya to successfully defend the gold medal won in Hangzhou in 2023 — the first time India has retained the men's hockey title at the Asian Games.
Six teams, two cities
The six-team Asian Champions Trophy will feature India alongside Japan, China, Malaysia, South Korea and Bangladesh. Bangladesh replaced Pakistan in the line-up after Pakistan requested a neutral venue, according to reports. The league-stage matches will be played at Jalandhar's Olympian Surjit Singh Hockey Stadium from October 27 to November 2, while the business end shifts to Mohali's Olympian Balbir Singh Senior International Hockey Stadium, with the semi-finals on November 4 and the final on November 5.
The tournament marks the return of international hockey to Punjab, long regarded as one of the traditional powerhouses of Indian hockey and the nursery of generations of Olympians.
Fulton's message: celebrations are over
Head coach Craig Fulton said the Asian Games triumph was now behind the team and the focus had to shift quickly. "Winning the Asian Games gold in Japan was a special achievement for this group. But now the celebrations are behind us and our focus has to shift quickly. The Asian Champions Trophy Punjab 2026 is a new challenge, on home soil, and we need to bring the same hunger, discipline and intensity to every match as we look to build on our success," he said.
India are the most successful team in Asian Champions Trophy history, having won the title four times since the tournament's inception in 2011. They also shared the trophy with Pakistan in 2018 after the final in Muscat was washed out by rain.
Sources:
India Turn Focus To Asian Champions Trophy After Asian Games Triumph — NDTV Sports (PTI)
Pakistan Out, Bangladesh In: Major Shake-Up In India-Hosted Champions Trophy — ABP Live
India beat Malaysia in the Asian Games final at Aichi-Nagoya to successfully defend the gold medal won in Hangzhou in 2023 — the first time India has retained the men's hockey title at the Asian Games.
Six teams, two cities
The six-team Asian Champions Trophy will feature India alongside Japan, China, Malaysia, South Korea and Bangladesh. Bangladesh replaced Pakistan in the line-up after Pakistan requested a neutral venue, according to reports. The league-stage matches will be played at Jalandhar's Olympian Surjit Singh Hockey Stadium from October 27 to November 2, while the business end shifts to Mohali's Olympian Balbir Singh Senior International Hockey Stadium, with the semi-finals on November 4 and the final on November 5.
The tournament marks the return of international hockey to Punjab, long regarded as one of the traditional powerhouses of Indian hockey and the nursery of generations of Olympians.
Fulton's message: celebrations are over
Head coach Craig Fulton said the Asian Games triumph was now behind the team and the focus had to shift quickly. "Winning the Asian Games gold in Japan was a special achievement for this group. But now the celebrations are behind us and our focus has to shift quickly. The Asian Champions Trophy Punjab 2026 is a new challenge, on home soil, and we need to bring the same hunger, discipline and intensity to every match as we look to build on our success," he said.
India are the most successful team in Asian Champions Trophy history, having won the title four times since the tournament's inception in 2011. They also shared the trophy with Pakistan in 2018 after the final in Muscat was washed out by rain.
Sources:
India Turn Focus To Asian Champions Trophy After Asian Games Triumph — NDTV Sports (PTI)
Pakistan Out, Bangladesh In: Major Shake-Up In India-Hosted Champions Trophy — ABP Live
