Chandigarh, Sep 14 (IANS) Punjab is set to script history by hosting the Hockey Asian Champions Trophy 2026 for the first time, with Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Monday releasing the tournament logo in the presence of Asian Hockey Federation officials.
Declaring the championship as a matter of pride for Punjab, CM Mann said the tournament will bring international hockey to the state from October 27 to November 5. The league stage matches will be played at the Olympian Surjit Singh Hockey Stadium in Jalandhar.
The tournament will then move to Mohali, which will stage the semi-finals on November 4 and the final on November 5, bringing the competition to a grand conclusion.
The tournament will feature six leading hockey nations, including India and Pakistan, with the much-awaited India-Pakistan clash scheduled for November 1, Punjab Day in Jalandhar.
“The India-Pakistan encounter on November 1 in Jalandhar will be one of the biggest attractions of the tournament. The match will coincide with Punjab Day, making the occasion even more special for the people of Punjab. India and Pakistan may have their rivalries on the hockey field, but sport has its own language,” CM Mann said.
The Chief Minister said the government has committed Rs 25.40 crore for the organisation of the championship and that the entire government machinery will put its full strength behind making it a grand success. In a major move to bring youngsters and hockey lovers closer to the sport, entry to all matches will be completely free.
He said, “The historic Men’s Asian Champions Trophy 2026 is not merely a hockey tournament for Punjab. It is an emotional homecoming of the sport to the land that has nurtured generations of Indian hockey heroes. For the first time, Punjab is hosting an international hockey tournament of this stature on its own soil.”
The Chief Minister said, “The Punjab government is determined to make it an unforgettable sporting spectacle for players, spectators and hockey lovers across India and the world.” He said Punjab is synonymous with hockey and “the game and Punjabis are two sides of the same coin”.
He added, “From Sansarpur, Khusropur and Mithapur to hundreds of villages across the state, the soil of Punjab has produced Olympians, national champions and captains. These legends have carried the Indian tricolour with pride on the world’s biggest sporting stages. The contribution of Punjab to Indian hockey is not just a matter of statistics; it is an inseparable part of our identity.”
Cm Mann said Punjab has produced more than 50 Olympic medallists and 10 national captains, including legends like Olympian Balbir Singh Sr., Udham Singh and Ajit Pal Singh, who have inspired generations.
“Even today, this tradition continues. During the Paris 2024 Olympics, Punjab had 10 players representing India, with Harmanpreet Singh leading the national side,” he said. “Therefore, when Punjab hosts the Asian Champions Trophy, it will not be just another tournament on the international calendar. It will be a celebration in the heartland of Indian hockey on world-class venues with world-class preparations,” said the Chief Minister.
CM Mann said Jalandhar will host the opening ceremony and league stage, while Mohali will host the decisive semi-finals and final. “The objective of the state government is clear: every visiting player should feel that Punjab has provided them with facilities of international standard, and every spectator should feel proud of the experience,” he said.
He said that the participation of the Pakistan team adds an enormous sporting dimension to the championship and will naturally attract hockey lovers from across the region and the country.
The Chief Minister said the hockey federations on both sides have maintained cordial sporting relations. “The state government wants the tournament to reflect the true spirit of competition, intense on the field but respectful beyond it,” he added.
–IANS
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