Pakistan Asian Champions Trophy 2026: Hockey India Rejects Venue Change Request, Bangladesh and Oman Kept as Backup Teams

Pakistan’s participation in the Men’s Asian Champions Trophy 2026 has become uncertain after the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) formally asked the Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) to either move the tournament out of India or shift all of Pakistan’s matches to a neutral venue.

Hockey India, however, has rejected the request. Hockey India secretary general and Asian Hockey Federation vice-president Bhola Nath Singh said the venue would not be changed and that Pakistan would have to travel to India if it wants to participate in the tournament.

The development has added another twist to an event that was only recently announced as a six-team tournament featuring India, Pakistan, China, Japan, Malaysia and South Korea. Bangladesh and Oman have been identified as reserve teams, meaning the tournament organizers have options if one of the confirmed teams eventually pulls out.

Why has Pakistan asked for a neutral venue?

The Pakistan Hockey Federation formally approached the Asian Hockey Federation on September 16, asking for the Men’s Asian Champions Trophy 2026 to be relocated outside India or for Pakistan’s matches to be played at a neutral venue.

PHF president Mohyuddin Ahmed Wani cited the sensitive bilateral situation between India and Pakistan and concerns surrounding the safety and overall environment for players and officials.

Importantly, the PHF said Pakistan remains committed to participating in the tournament and is willing to play against India and other teams. Its request is specifically focused on where Pakistan’s matches would be played.

The request came just days after Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had said Pakistan would participate in the competition. The PHF subsequently clarified that Pakistan’s visit to India was still subject to government clearance.

That means the situation has changed quickly. While the tournament schedule remains in place, Pakistan’s participation at the Indian venues is now dependent on further decisions.

Hockey India says there will be no venue change

Hockey India has taken a firm position on the matter.

According to reports, Bhola Nath Singh said there would be no change to the venue arrangements and that Pakistan would need to come to India to play the tournament. He also indicated that Bangladesh and Oman were being kept ready as reserve options.

“If Pakistan does not come to India,” one of the reserve teams could potentially take its place, according to the reported comments.

The reserve-team arrangement is significant because it gives the organizers an alternative if Pakistan ultimately decides not to participate. However, the final decision regarding replacement and tournament composition would depend on the relevant hockey authorities.

For now, Pakistan remains part of the announced field.

Asian Champions Trophy 2026 schedule and venues

The Asian Champions Trophy 2026 is scheduled to take place from October 27 to November 5 in Punjab.

There is an important venue detail to note. The tournament will not be held exclusively in Mohali. Hockey India has confirmed that the competition will be jointly hosted by Jalandhar and Mohali.

Jalandhar’s Olympian Surjit Singh Hockey Stadium will host the opening ceremony and the league-stage matches from October 27 to November 2. The competition will then move to the Olympian Balbir Singh Senior International Hockey Stadium in Mohali for the semi-finals on November 4 and the final on November 5.

The highly anticipated India vs Pakistan match is scheduled for November 1 in Jalandhar, provided Pakistan participates at the announced venue.

The tournament is therefore set to bring international hockey back to Punjab, with Jalandhar hosting the bulk of the league stage before Mohali stages the decisive matches.

Pakistan’s participation is still not completely settled

One of the biggest reasons for the confusion is that Pakistan had not initially received final government clearance for the India visit.

A senior PHF official told PTI that the federation would first seek the government’s advice on whether the national team should travel to India. Government approval would then be required before the team could proceed with visa applications.

This followed an earlier statement from PHF president Mohyuddin Ahmed Wani that Pakistan’s proposed tour to India depended on government clearance.

The latest request to the AHF now adds another layer to the issue. Pakistan is seeking either a tournament relocation or a neutral venue for its own fixtures, while Hockey India has indicated that the announced Indian venues will remain unchanged.

Bangladesh and Oman could enter the tournament

Bangladesh and Oman are currently the reserve teams associated with the tournament.

Their presence could become important if Pakistan eventually does not take part. Hockey India secretary general Bhola Nath Singh has publicly referred to both teams as possible replacements.

However, it would be premature to say that either Bangladesh or Oman will definitely replace Pakistan. Pakistan has not been formally removed from the competition, and the AHF still has to deal with the request made by the PHF.

For hockey fans, the next few weeks could therefore be crucial.

A repeat of recent participation concerns?

Pakistan has previously withdrawn from hockey events hosted in India amid concerns connected to the bilateral situation.

The Pakistan team did not participate in the FIH Junior World Cup in Tamil Nadu last year, while Pakistan also skipped the Asia Cup in India, with political tensions cited around those decisions.

The current situation is different in one important respect: the PHF has said it remains committed to the Asian Champions Trophy and is prepared to play against India and other participating nations. Its present request concerns the location of its fixtures rather than an outright rejection of the competition.

That distinction could become important if discussions between the PHF and AHF continue.

What happens next?

At this stage, the tournament schedule remains unchanged. India, Pakistan, China, Japan, Malaysia and South Korea are the announced teams, while Bangladesh and Oman are reserve options.

The immediate question is whether the Asian Hockey Federation will accept, reject or modify Pakistan’s request for a neutral venue.

If the AHF does not approve the request and Pakistan chooses not to travel to India, the reserve-team arrangement could come into play. If Pakistan does travel, the India-Pakistan match is currently scheduled for November 1 in Jalandhar.

For now, hockey fans will have to wait for the next official update from the concerned federations.

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