Asian Hockey Champions Trophy 2026: Pakistan will no longer feature in the Men’s Asian Champions Trophy 2026 in India, with Bangladesh stepping into the six-team tournament. The competition will be played in Punjab from October 27 to November 5, with matches scheduled in Jalandhar and Mohali.
Pakistan have been left out of the Men’s Asian Champions Trophy 2026 after the Pakistan Hockey Federation refused to play its matches in India and sought a neutral venue. Bangladesh, which had been kept among the reserve teams, has now been included in the tournament alongside hosts India, Japan, China, Malaysia and South Korea.
The development comes only weeks after Pakistan were announced as part of the original six-team line-up. The tournament will be hosted by Punjab and marks the return of a major international hockey event to the state, with Jalandhar and Mohali sharing hosting duties.
Hockey India’s latest announcement confirmed that the six participating teams are India, Japan, China, Malaysia, South Korea and Bangladesh. Pakistan’s name is absent from the official list.
Pakistan had asked for a neutral venue
The situation began in September when the Pakistan Hockey Federation formally approached the Asian Hockey Federation, asking either for the entire tournament to be moved out of India or for Pakistan’s matches to be played at a neutral venue.
PHF president Mohyuddin Ahmed Wani said the request was made because of the sensitive bilateral situation and security concerns between India and Pakistan. At the same time, Pakistan maintained that it was willing to play against all participating nations, including India, provided its matches were moved away from Indian soil.
Hockey India, however, rejected the proposal.
Hockey India secretary general and Asian Hockey Federation vice-president Bhola Nath Singh made it clear that the tournament venues would not be changed. He said Pakistan would have to travel to India if it wanted to participate, while Bangladesh and Oman were available as reserve teams in case of a withdrawal.
With Pakistan ultimately out, Bangladesh has received the opportunity to take its place.
The change also means that the India-Pakistan league match that had been planned for November 1 in Jalandhar will no longer take place. The fixture had attracted considerable attention because it was scheduled to coincide with Punjab Day.
Bangladesh gets its chance
Bangladesh had originally been placed on the reserve list along with Oman. That decision was made as a precaution because the organisers wanted replacement teams available if any of the six original participants withdrew.
That contingency has now become reality.
Bangladesh will join a strong field led by defending champions India. The Indian men’s team are entering the tournament with considerable momentum after another major success at the 2026 Asian Games.
India defeated Malaysia 5-1 in the men’s hockey final in Japan to successfully defend their Asian Games title. The result was particularly significant because India also defeated Pakistan 4-3 in a dramatic semi-final on their way to the gold medal.
That recent rivalry adds an interesting layer to the Asian Champions Trophy, even though Pakistan will now not be part of the competition.
For Bangladesh, meanwhile, the tournament represents an opportunity to test themselves against the strongest hockey nations in Asia on a major international stage.
India remain the team to beat
India will start the tournament as the defending Asian Champions Trophy champions and the most successful side in the history of the competition.
The Indian team won the 2024 edition in China, beating the hosts 1-0 in the final through a Jugraj Singh goal. That victory gave India a record-extending fifth Asian Champions Trophy title.
India’s five titles have come in 2011, 2016, 2018, 2023 and 2024. The 2018 title was shared with Pakistan after the final in Muscat was abandoned because of heavy rain.
With the Asian Games gold medal now added to that recent record, the Indian side will have plenty of confidence heading into the home tournament.
The challenge, however, will be different. Playing on home soil brings its own pressure, while Japan, China, Malaysia and South Korea have all been regular contenders in Asian hockey.
South Korea will also be looking to make a strong impression after finishing fourth at the recent Asian Games. Malaysia, meanwhile, enter the competition after winning the silver medal in Japan.
Jalandhar and Mohali ready for the tournament
The 2026 Asian Champions Trophy will be played from October 27 to November 5 in Punjab.
Jalandhar’s Olympian Surjit Singh Hockey Stadium will host the opening ceremony and all league-stage matches from October 27 to November 2. The competition will then move to Mohali for the decisive phase.
The Olympian Balbir Singh Senior International Hockey Stadium in Mohali is scheduled to host the semi-finals on November 4, followed by the final on November 5.
The tournament is particularly significant for Punjab because it brings top-level international hockey back to one of India’s traditional hockey heartlands.
Jalandhar has a long association with Indian hockey and has produced generations of players, while Mohali has emerged as an important venue for international hockey in recent years.
The event will therefore be more than just another international tournament for the region. It will give local fans an opportunity to watch India’s leading players compete against some of Asia’s strongest teams.
Pakistan’s absence adds another twist
Pakistan’s withdrawal is particularly notable given the history between the two hockey teams.
India and Pakistan have one of the sport’s most famous rivalries, but their bilateral hockey relationship has been inactive for many years. The last bilateral series between the two sides was played in 2006, when Pakistan won the six-match series 3-1.
The two teams have continued to meet in major international competitions, including the Asian Champions Trophy and Asian Games, but regular home-and-away bilateral series have not returned.
Interestingly, India and Pakistan met only days ago at the 2026 Asian Games, where India produced a dramatic 4-3 victory in the semi-final. Pakistan subsequently won the bronze medal after beating South Korea 5-3, while India went on to defeat Malaysia 5-1 for gold.
That recent meeting makes Pakistan’s absence from the upcoming tournament even more noticeable.
For India, though, the focus will now shift entirely towards defending the Asian Champions Trophy on home ground. Bangladesh’s late inclusion has changed the composition of the tournament, but the competition remains packed with quality sides.
With the world’s attention turning towards Punjab later this month, the Indian team will be expected to carry its Asian Games momentum into the next challenge.
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