Hero Asian Champions Trophy 2026: Harmanpreet Singh Calls Punjab Homecoming a ‘Special Occasion’ as Hockey Returns to Its Roots

Jalandhar and Mohali will host Asia’s leading hockey nations from October 27 to November 5, celebrating Punjab’s contribution to Indian hockey across generations.

International hockey is set to return to Punjab as India prepares to host the Hero Men’s Asian Champions Trophy 2026, bringing Asia’s leading teams to a state that has played a defining role in the country’s hockey history. Indian captain Harmanpreet Singh has described the occasion as special for the team, particularly for players from Punjab who will have the opportunity to represent the country in front of their home supporters.

The tournament will mark the second time India has hosted the men’s edition of the Asian Champions Trophy, following the 2023 event in Chennai. Scheduled across Jalandhar and Mohali, the competition will run from October 27 to November 5, celebrating Punjab’s enduring connection with the sport while offering the hosts an opportunity to defend their continental title.

For Punjab, hockey is more than a sporting pursuit. It is closely woven into the state’s cultural identity, with generations of players emerging from its villages, academies and grassroots sporting structures to represent India at the highest level.

For Harmanpreet, the tournament carries a personal significance beyond his responsibilities as captain of the Indian team. The defender, who has led India to Asian Games gold medals in consecutive editions, is preparing for the opportunity to play an international match in Punjab while wearing the national jersey.

“It’s going to be a special occasion for the entire team, especially for the players who belong to Punjab because it’s the first time that we will be wearing India jersey at an international tournament in Punjab,” Harmanpreet said.

The tournament will also give his family an opportunity to watch him represent India from inside a stadium in Punjab for the first time.

“My entire family is expected to be at the stadium watching me play an international match together from the venue for the first time, including my father who has never seen me play for the country while sitting inside the stadium,” Harmanpreet added. The occasion underlines the emotional connection between players and the communities that have supported their journeys. For Punjab’s hockey fraternity, seeing the national team compete on home ground will provide an opportunity to celebrate the sport’s legacy and connect with its current generation of stars.

Punjab has produced generations of players who have helped shape Indian hockey, from legendary names such as Udham Singh and Balbir Singh Sr to contemporary internationals Manpreet Singh and Harmanpreet Singh. The state’s contribution extends across eras, with its sporting culture and grassroots structures helping develop Olympic medallists, World Cup winners and national-team stalwarts. Hockey remains deeply rooted in several communities, where the sport has been passed down through generations.

Jalandhar holds a particularly prominent place in this history. The city and its surrounding areas have nurtured numerous players, with villages such as Sansarpur and Mithapur closely associated with the development of Indian hockey.

Hosting the Asian Champions Trophy in this environment will bring elite international competition closer to traditional supporters. It will also place Punjab’s sporting infrastructure and hockey heritage at the centre of a major continental tournament.

Jalandhar and Mohali to Share Hosting Duties

The competition will begin in Jalandhar, where the Olympian Surjit Singh Hockey Stadium at Burlton Park will host the opening ceremony and all league-stage fixtures from October 27 to November 2. Named after Surjit Singh, the celebrated defender and member of India’s 1975 World Cup-winning team, the venue will provide the setting for the opening phase of the tournament.

The action will then move to Mohali, where the Olympian Balbir Singh Senior International Hockey Stadium will host the semi-finals on November 4 and the medal matches on November 5. The two-city arrangement will allow supporters in different parts of Punjab to experience the tournament while showcasing venues associated with the state’s sporting development.

Hosts India will face Malaysia, South Korea, China, Japan and Bangladesh in the six-team competition. Each team will play the other five sides once during the league stage, with the top four teams advancing to the semi-finals. Defending champions India enter the tournament as the most successful team in Asian Champions Trophy history, having won the title five times—in 2011, 2016, 2018, 2023 and 2024. India shared the title with Pakistan in 2018.

The hosts will begin their campaign against Bangladesh on October 27 in Jalandhar, starting their bid for another title in front of home supporters.

India’s recent success, combined with the advantage of playing at home, will make the team one of the central attractions of the tournament. However, the round-robin format means consistency across the league stage will be essential to securing a place in the semi-finals.

A Celebration of Punjab’s Sporting Identity

The Hero Men’s Asian Champions Trophy Punjab 2026 represents more than another opportunity to compete for silverware. It marks the return of international hockey to a state that has contributed significantly to India’s achievements on the global stage. For Harmanpreet and other Punjab-born players, the opportunity to wear the India jersey at home will make the competition particularly memorable. For supporters, it will bring the national team closer to the communities that have sustained the sport across generations.

As Jalandhar prepares to host the opening matches and Mohali readies itself for the decisive stages, Punjab will once again take centre stage in Indian hockey. The tournament offers the defending champions a chance to extend their record while celebrating the people, places and traditions that have helped make hockey an integral part of the state’s identity.