Bangladesh replace Pakistan, to meet India in Asian Champions Trophy opener in Jalandhar
Bangladesh will replace Pakistan and face India in the opening match of the Hero Asian Champions Trophy Punjab 2026 in Jalandhar on October 27, the tournament organisers announced, with competition scheduled across two Punjab venues through November 5.
The league stage will be played at the Olympian Surjit Singh Hockey Stadium in Jalandhar from October 27 to November 2, after which the tournament moves to the Olympian Balbir Singh Senior International Hockey Stadium in Mohali for the knockout phase; the semi-finals are set for November 4, and the bronze-medal match and final for November 5. The opening ceremony is scheduled for October 27 shortly before India take on Bangladesh.
India enter the event as Asian Games champions and as the top-ranked side after successfully defending their Asian Games title in Japan. The hosts are also the competition’s most successful side, having won the Asian Champions Trophy five times.
Six teams will contest the tournament — India, Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, China and Bangladesh — in a single round-robin league where each side plays five matches and the top four teams progress to the semi-finals.
India’s round-robin fixtures run: Bangladesh on October 27, China on October 29, Japan on October 30, Malaysia on November 1 and South Korea on November 2; all five of India’s league matches are scheduled to start at 7 PM IST. October 28, October 31 and November 3 have been designated as rest days.
India’s previous Asian Champions Trophy titles were in 2011, 2016, 2018 (jointly with Pakistan), 2023 and 2024, and the hosts will look to extend their dominance in front of home supporters in Punjab.
Hockey India president Dilip Tirkey said: "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," Hockey India secretary general Bhola Nath Singh added: "With the schedule now announced, the countdown to the Hero Asian Champions Trophy Punjab 2026 has truly begun."
India’s campaign begins with the Jalandhar opener against Bangladesh on October 27, followed by their scheduled meeting with China on October 29, with the tournament progressing from the league phase into semi-finals on November 4 and medal matches on November 5 in Mohali.
