Hero Men’s Asian Champions Trophy 2026 to Be Held From October 27 to November 5 in Mohali and Jalandhar

Punjab is set to welcome some of Asia’s biggest hockey nations as the Hero Men’s Asian Champions Trophy 2026 will be held from October 27 to November 5 in Mohali and Jalandhar. 

The dates for the prestigious continental tournament were officially announced by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann in Mohali on Monday. The tournament will bring international hockey back to one of India’s traditional strongholds of the sport, with matches scheduled across two iconic venues, the Olympian Balbir Singh Senior International Hockey Stadium in Mohali and the Olympian Surjit Singh Hockey Stadium in Jalandhar.

The 2026 edition is expected to be a major celebration of Punjab’s hockey culture while providing India and the continent’s leading teams with an important competitive platform.

Jalandhar will get the honour of hosting the opening ceremony of the tournament, with all league-stage matches scheduled to take place at the Olympian Surjit Singh Hockey Stadium between October 27 and November 2. The competition will then move to Mohali for its decisive knockout phase. The semi-finals will be played on November 4 at the Olympian Balbir Singh Senior International Hockey Stadium, followed by the grand final on November 5. The two-city format will allow both Mohali and Jalandhar to play a central role in hosting one of the premier events on the Asian Hockey Federation calendar.

The tournament will feature six teams: India, Pakistan, South Korea, Malaysia, China and Japan. Oman and Bangladesh have been listed as the reserve teams. The presence of traditional rivals and some of Asia’s strongest hockey nations promises a highly competitive tournament, with every match carrying significance as teams look to establish continental supremacy.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann described the tournament as more than just another international sporting event for the state, highlighting the deep connection between Punjab and Indian hockey.

“The historic Hero Men’s Asian Champions Trophy 2026 is not merely a hockey tournament for Punjab; it is an emotional homecoming of the sport to the land that has nurtured generations of Indian hockey heroes,” Mann said.

He added that this would be the first time Punjab hosts an international hockey tournament of this stature on its own soil and said the state government was committed to creating a memorable experience for players, spectators and hockey fans. The tournament will also provide an opportunity to celebrate Punjab’s long association with the sport and the contribution of the state’s legendary players to Indian hockey.

With both host cities possessing a strong hockey culture, the event is expected to attract considerable interest from fans across Punjab and the rest of the country.

Hockey India Welcomes Tournament to Punjab

Hockey India President Dr Dilip Tirkey welcomed the announcement and highlighted the significance of staging the tournament in Mohali and Jalandhar. “Punjab has a proud hockey legacy, and we are delighted that Mohali and Jalandhar will host the Hero Men’s Asian Champions Trophy 2026. We sincerely thank and appreciate the Punjab Government’s support,” Tirkey said. Hockey India Secretary General Bhola Nath Singh also expressed his appreciation for the support of the Punjab Government and Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.

He said the announcement of the dates marked an important step towards organising a memorable tournament and pointed to the hockey culture of Mohali and Jalandhar as an ideal backdrop for Asia’s leading teams. The announcement was attended by several senior hockey officials, including Hockey India Secretary General Bhola Nath Singh, Director General Cdr RK Srivastava, Executive Board Member RP Singh and Hockey Punjab President Nitin Kohli.

India will be among the six participating nations alongside Pakistan, South Korea, Malaysia, China and Japan. The lineup brings together teams with significant continental pedigree and promises a tournament featuring intense rivalries and high-quality hockey. The Hero Men’s Asian Champions Trophy is one of the key competitions on the Asian Hockey Federation calendar and offers the continent’s leading teams an opportunity to compete against one another in a high-level tournament environment.

For India, playing in front of home supporters in Punjab will add another dimension to the competition. The state has produced generations of Indian hockey players and remains closely associated with the sport. The tournament will therefore combine sporting significance with a celebration of hockey heritage.

With Jalandhar hosting the opening ceremony and league stage before Mohali stages the semi-finals and final, the Hero Men’s Asian Champions Trophy 2026 will give two of Punjab’s most prominent hockey centres an opportunity to showcase their facilities and passionate fan bases.

The schedule also ensures that the tournament builds towards a major climax, moving from the league phase in Jalandhar to the knockout rounds in Mohali.

From October 27 to November 5, Punjab will become the centre of Asian hockey attention. With India, Pakistan, South Korea, Malaysia, China and Japan competing for the continental crown, the Hero Men’s Asian Champions Trophy 2026 promises to be both a major sporting contest and a celebration of the enduring hockey legacy of Punjab.