India face South Korea in final Jalandhar league match of Asian Champions Trophy on November 2, 2026

India meet South Korea in their final league match of the Asian Champions Trophy at the Surjit Hockey Stadium in Jalandhar on November 2, 2026, as the hosts prepare to sign off from the venue before the semifinals.

India enter the fixture as defending champions with a dominant head-to-head record: of 25 matches between the sides there have been seven draws, India have won 15 times, Korea's only loss in normal time to India occurred in the 2013 Asia Cup final, and Korea's other victory came in the 2019 Sultan Azlan Shah Cup final via a shootout. The teams last met at the Asian Games, when India beat Korea 8-2, and India arrive in Jalandhar off a 4-2 win over Malaysia that more or less secured their place atop the league standings.

Selection and rotation are under discussion after Abhishek twisted his ankle against Malaysia and could be rested as a precaution; Suraj Karkera has started the first quarter in most games and Fulton may be tempted to bring Pathak into the side. With the focus turning to Mohali for the semifinals, India will be wary of avoiding any injuries or niggles ahead of the knockout stage.

Craig Fulton will target remedying two performance areas that have emerged during the tournament: a dip in energy levels during the second quarter and greater use of secondary dragflickers, with Jugraj Singh and Amandeep Lakra not taking as many chances from penalty corners as Harmanpreet Singh.

The Surjit Hockey Stadium has hosted the league matches in Jalandhar, with local supporters vocally backing the home side, and India will be bidding to end their Jalandhar campaign on a high note. South Korea, who began the tournament with two defeats, have staged a recovery and will look to upset the home crowd.

A positive outcome in Jalandhar would allow India to head into the semifinals in Mohali with momentum while managing player fitness; the team and coaching staff have prioritised both match sharpness and injury avoidance ahead of the next stage.