International hockey will return to Punjab after 17 years when India host the men’s Asian Champions Trophy for the second time, with Jalandhar and Mohali set to stage the tournament from October 27 to November 2.The last international hockey tournament held in the state was the 2009 Punjab Gold Cup.Hockey has a special place in Punjab, which has played a major role in shaping Indian hockey through its villages, academies and generations of players who have represented the country at the highest level.The upcoming tournament will feature six teams — hosts India, Malaysia, South Korea, China, Japan and Bangladesh — competing for the title.India, the reigning Asian Games champions, are the most successful team in the tournament’s history, having won the title five times in 2011, 2016, 2018 (joint winners), 2023 and 2024.Punjab’s contribution to Indian hockey spans generations, from former greats Udham Singh and Balbir Singh Sr to current players Manpreet Singh and Harmanpreet Singh.India captain Harmanpreet, who led the team to gold medals at two successive Asian Games, said the tournament would be special for the players from Punjab, who will get the opportunity to represent the country on home soil.“It’s going to be a special occasion for the entire team, especially for the players who belong to Punjab because it’s the first time that we will be wearing India jersey at an international tournament in Punjab,” Harmanpreet Singh, the first captain to lead India to successive Asian Games gold medal triumphs, said in a Hockey India release.“My entire family is expected to be at the stadium watching me play an international match together from the venue for the first time, including my father who has never seen me play for the country while sitting inside the stadium.”The Olympian Surjit Singh Hockey Stadium at Burlton Park in Jalandhar will host the opening ceremony and league-stage matches from October 27 to November 2. The stadium is named after Surjit Singh, the celebrated defender who was part of India’s 1975 World Cup-winning team.The tournament will then move to the Olympian Balbir Singh Senior International Hockey Stadium in Mohali, which will host the semifinals and medal matches on November 4 and 5.All six teams will face each other once in the league stage, with the top four advancing to the semifinals.Defending champions India will begin their campaign against Bangladesh in Jalandhar on October 27.
