Asian Champions Trophy 2026: Hockey India Stands Firm on Punjab Venues
Asian Champions Trophy 2026 Faces a Venue Dispute
The Asian Champions Trophy 2026 has entered a fresh phase of uncertainty after the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) asked the Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) to move the tournament out of India or shift all Pakistan matches to neutral venues.
The request was made on September 16, with the PHF referring to the current sensitive situation between India and Pakistan and security concerns for its players and officials. The federation said its objective was to ensure Pakistan’s uninterrupted participation in the continental tournament.
However, Hockey India has rejected the proposal and maintained that there will be no change to the planned venues.
Asian Champions Trophy 2026 Will Stay in Punjab
Hockey India secretary general Bhola Nath Singh, who is also an Asian Hockey Federation vice-president, said Pakistan would have to travel to India if it wanted to compete in the tournament.
Singh told PTI that the request for a venue change would not be considered and that the tournament arrangements would remain unchanged. He also indicated that Bangladesh and Oman could be considered as replacements if Pakistan ultimately does not participate.
The tournament is scheduled to be played in Punjab from October 27 to November 5. The group-stage matches are planned for Jalandhar, while the later stages are scheduled for Mohali. India and Pakistan are currently scheduled to meet in Jalandhar on November 1.
Asian Champions Trophy 2026 Participation Remains Uncertain
The PHF has not indicated that it wants to withdraw from the competition completely. Instead, its request seeks an alternative arrangement that would allow the Pakistani team to participate while addressing the federation’s stated security concerns.
PHF interim president Mohyuddin Ahmed Wani said Pakistan remains committed to the Asian Champions Trophy and is prepared to play against India and other participating teams. The federation has also expressed hope that the AHF will consider its neutral-venue proposal.
The latest development came shortly after reports that Pakistan had not yet received government clearance for the team’s travel to India. This created uncertainty despite earlier statements from Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann that Pakistan would participate in the tournament.
Asian Champions Trophy 2026 Has Six Teams
The tournament is scheduled to feature India, Pakistan, Malaysia, China, Japan and South Korea. It remains one of the major competitions on the Asian hockey calendar, making the participation issue significant for the event’s final line-up.
Pakistan has previously withdrawn from India-hosted hockey competitions over security-related concerns, including the Junior World Cup in Tamil Nadu and the Asia Cup in Rajgir.
For now, Hockey India’s position is clear: the tournament will proceed in Punjab as scheduled. The next step rests with the relevant hockey authorities and Pakistan over whether the team will travel to India under the existing arrangements.
