New Delhi: Bangladesh have stepped in to replace Pakistan in the upcoming Asian Champions Trophy 2026 and are scheduled to square off against defending champions India in their opening fixture in Jalandhar on October 27. The six-team continental tournament will take place across two venues in Punjab, culminating with the final match on November 5.
All league-stage fixtures will be held at the Olympian Surjit Singh Hockey Stadium in Jalandhar from October 27 to November 2. The tournament will then move to the Olympian Balbir Singh Senior International Hockey Stadium in Mohali for the knockout rounds, featuring the semi-finals on November 4 alongside the bronze-medal match and the final on November 5.
The competition brings together six participating nations: reigning Asian Games gold medallists and defending champions India, Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, China, and newcomers Bangladesh. Five-time champions India enter the event as the top-ranked side following their successful title defense at the Asian Games in Japan. The opening ceremony is set for October 27, just ahead of the tournament opener between India and Bangladesh.
Teams will compete in a single round-robin format, with each side playing five preliminary matches. The top four finishers from the league phase will advance to the semi-finals. Following their opening match against Bangladesh, India's group schedule features encounters against China on October 29, Japan on October 30, Malaysia on November 1, and South Korea on November 2. All of India's round-robin fixtures are slated for 7 PM IST, with October 28, October 31, and November 3 designated as rest days.
As the most decorated squad in tournament history with titles in 2011, 2016, a shared victory with Pakistan in 2018, as well as triumphs in 2023 and 2024, the hosts aim to prolong their regional dominance in front of home fans in Punjab.
Hockey India president Dilip Tirkey noted that the release of the match schedule elevates the anticipation for the Hero Asian Champions Trophy Punjab 2026, expressing enthusiasm about welcoming participating squads to the region for high-level competition. Hockey India secretary general Bhola Nath Singh echoed the sentiment, emphasizing that the official schedule launch marks the true beginning of the countdown to the event.