Published:
The Men’s Hero Asian Champions Trophy Punjab 2026 will be held from October 27 to November 5, with Bangladesh replacing Pakistan in the six-team tournament following Pakistan’s withdrawal.
Hockey India confirmed the tournament schedule on October 9, 2026. The competition will be staged across two venues in Punjab: the Olympian Surjit Singh Hockey Stadium in Jalandhar and the Olympian Balbir Singh Senior International Hockey Stadium in Mohali.
India, the defending Asian Champions Trophy holders and reigning Asian Games champions, will open their campaign against Bangladesh on October 27.
Pakistan had initially been included in the tournament but withdrew before the competition. Bangladesh was subsequently brought into the six-team line-up.
Earlier reports said the Pakistan Hockey Federation had requested that the tournament be moved from India or that Pakistan’s matches be played at a neutral venue, citing security concerns and the bilateral situation. Hockey India rejected relocating the event.
The precise circumstances of Pakistan’s withdrawal should be understood through attributed reporting. The official Hockey India schedule confirms Bangladesh’s participation but does not itself establish every detail of the withdrawal decision.
The league stage will be played in Jalandhar, with all league matches scheduled to finish by November 2. The competition will then move to Mohali for the semi-finals and medal matches.
October 27–November 2: League stage, Jalandhar
November 4: Semi-finals, Mohali
November 5: Bronze-medal match and final, Mohali
November 3 is a scheduled rest day.
According to Hockey India, India’s five league matches are scheduled to start at 7:00 PM IST.
| Date | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| October 27, 2026 | India vs Bangladesh | Jalandhar |
| October 29, 2026 | India vs China | Jalandhar |
| October 30, 2026 | India vs Japan | Jalandhar |
| November 1, 2026 | India vs Malaysia | Jalandhar |
| November 2, 2026 | India vs South Korea | Jalandhar |
All listed India league matches are scheduled for 7:00 PM IST. Check the official schedule for any subsequent changes.
The six participating teams are:
India
Bangladesh
China
Japan
Malaysia
South Korea
The teams will play a single round-robin league phase, with each side facing the other five teams. The top four teams at the end of the league stage will qualify for the semi-finals.
India enter the tournament as the most successful team in the competition’s history, with five titles listed by Hockey India: 2011, 2016, 2018 (joint winners with Pakistan), 2023 and 2024.
The tournament brings international hockey back to Punjab, a state with a long association with Indian hockey. Jalandhar will host the league stage, while Mohali will stage the decisive knockout matches.
The two-venue arrangement gives spectators in both cities the opportunity to watch international teams compete during the tournament. It also places the spotlight on Punjab’s hockey infrastructure and its role in hosting major sporting events.
India will face five different opponents during the league stage, beginning with Bangladesh before taking on China, Japan, Malaysia and South Korea.
The round-robin format means consistency across all five matches will be important in determining the semi-final line-up. The four highest-placed teams will advance to the knockout stage, where the remaining matches will decide the medals.
With the schedule confirmed, attention will now turn to team preparations, final squads and performances once the tournament begins.
1. Hockey India — Match schedule announced for Hero Asian Champions Trophy Punjab 2026
Publisher: Hockey India
URL: https://www.hockeyindia.org/news/match-schedule-announced-for-hero-asian-champions-trophy-punjab-2026
Supports: Official tournament dates, venues, participating teams, India’s league schedule, match times and competition format.
2. Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) — Bangladesh to face Asian hockey giants in Champions Trophy
Publisher: BSS
URL: https://www.bssnews.net/sports/432986
Supports: Bangladesh’s inclusion after Pakistan’s withdrawal and the six-team tournament line-up.
3. The Indian Express — Pakistan wants ACT hockey matches to be shifted from India to a neutral venue
Publisher: The Indian Express
URL: https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/hockey/pakistan-asian-champions-trophy-hockey-shift-india-neutral-venue-10881093/
Supports: Pakistan’s earlier request for a neutral venue or relocation of the tournament.
4. Sportstar — Asian Champions Trophy 2026 schedule: India, Pakistan replaced by Bangladesh
Publisher: Sportstar, The Hindu
URL: https://sportstar.thehindu.com/hockey/asian-champions-trophy-2026-schedule-india-pakistan-replaced-bangladesh/article71564110.ece
Supplied reference article for the schedule and team-change story.
