Asian Champions Trophy Starts Tomorrow: Three Games, a Ceremony, and India v Bangladesh Under Lights
It all starts tomorrow. After weeks of build-up, the Hero Asian Champions Trophy Punjab 2026 opens on Tuesday 27 October at the Olympian Surjit Singh Hockey Stadium in Jalandhar, and the opening day alone is worth clearing your evening for.
Three games, one ceremony, and the defending champions under lights. Here is how the day runs, in Pakistan time:
- 12:30 PM PKT — Malaysia v China. The tournament’s first game, and a proper test straight away. Malaysia arrive as the form Asian side after their Sultan of Johor Cup triumph, while China will want to show they belong in this company.
- 2:45 PM PKT — Japan v Korea. Two teams who always play each other hard, and both will know that a win on day one changes the whole shape of the pool.
- 5:00 PM PKT — Opening ceremony. The formal welcome, before the night game.
- 6:30 PM PKT — India v Bangladesh. The hosts open their title defence against the tournament’s newcomers, and Jalandhar will be loud.
The teams are already in town. Bangladesh, Japan, China, Korea and Malaysia all arrived in Jalandhar on Saturday and were welcomed at Burlton Park with bhangra and a big local crowd, before starting training at the Surjit Singh Stadium. This is the first time Punjab has hosted the Asian Champions Trophy, and the hosts are clearly determined to make it feel like an occasion.
There is also good news for anyone going: Hockey India has made entry free for the whole tournament. President Dilip Tirkey said the idea is to pack the stands and give families and young players the chance to watch Asia’s best up close, and supporters can register for a free entry pass through the tournament’s ticketing page.
India come in as the team to beat. They are the tournament’s most successful side with five titles, in 2011, 2016, 2018, 2023 and 2024, and they are defending champions. Harmanpreet Singh leads an 18-man squad plus two reserves that keeps the spine of the Asian Games gold-medal side, with Krishan Bahadur Pathak back in goal and Craig Fulton calling the tournament in Punjab “something special”. Bangladesh, meanwhile, are in because Pakistan withdrew, and they will know exactly how big Tuesday night is for them.
The format is simple and unforgiving. Six teams, one round-robin pool, five games each, and only the top four reach the semi-finals in Mohali on 4 November. The medal matches follow on 5 November. Rest days fall on 28 October, 31 October and 3 November, so there is no hiding after a bad day.
India’s road after the opener runs China on 29 October, Japan on 30 October, Malaysia on 1 November and South Korea on 2 November, all at 6:30 PM PKT. Win the opener well and the champions set their own pace. Slip up, and the chasing pack will smell it immediately.
One day to go. Jalandhar is ready.
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