Punjab is ready to welcome Asia’s hockey powerhouses as the Hero Men’s Asian Champions Trophy Punjab 2026 gets underway this week, with defending champions India opening their campaign against Bangladesh.
India head into the tournament as the top-ranked side, fresh from successfully defending their men’s hockey gold medal at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in Japan.
The Indian team will be aiming to extend its dominance in the continental competition, having won the Asian Champions Trophy five times — in 2011, 2016, 2018 (joint winners with Pakistan), 2023 and 2024. This record makes India the most successful team in the tournament’s history.
The upcoming edition offers India another opportunity to strengthen their standing in Asian hockey while testing themselves against some of the continent’s leading teams.
Punjab Set to Host Asia’s Hockey Elite
The tournament will be held from October 27 to November 5, 2026, with matches scheduled in Jalandhar and Mohali.
The competition is expected to bring together six teams — India, Pakistan, Malaysia, Japan, South Korea and China — for an intense contest for continental honours.
For India, the opening fixture against Bangladesh will mark the beginning of their title defence, with the team looking to carry its winning momentum into the tournament.
With Punjab’s rich hockey tradition and passionate fan base, the Asian Champions Trophy promises to be a celebration of the sport as the continent’s top teams compete for the coveted title.
