Pakistan pulls out of Hockey Asian Champions Trophy 2026 to be held in Punjab

Pakistan has pulled out of the Hockey Asian Champions Trophy 2026, to be held in Punjab, and Bangladesh has been named as its replacement.

The tournament will be played from October 27 to November 5 in Jalandhar and Mohali. Bangladesh were one of two reserve teams, along with Oman, named by Hockey India when the dates were announced, according to ANI.

The schedule shared lists India, Malaysia, Japan, Korea, China and Bangladesh as the six participating teams. India will open their campaign against Bangladesh in Jalandhar on October 27 at 19:00 hrs, after the opening ceremony.


India will now play Malaysia on November 1, the date on which they were earlier set to face Pakistan. According to PTI, the tournament begins in Jalandhar on October 27 and the final will be held in Mohali on November 5.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann announced on September 14 that Pakistan would be among the six teams. According to PTI, he cited the Centre's policy that allows Pakistan to play in multilateral events on Indian soil. A Hockey India release listed Pakistan as a participant, with Bangladesh and Oman as reserves.

Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) president Mohyuddin Ahmed Wani said the team's visit would depend on government clearance, according to ANI. On September 16, a senior PHF official told PTI that the government had not given clearance for the team to travel.

The same day, the PHF asked the Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) to either move the tournament out of India or shift Pakistan's matches to a neutral venue. It cited a "sensitive bilateral situation" with India, according to PTI.

Hockey India secretary general Bhola Nath Singh, who is also an AHF vice-president, rejected the request. He told PTI there would be no change in venue and that Pakistan would have to travel to India if it wanted to take part.

Pakistan had also withdrawn from the FIH Junior World Cup in Tamil Nadu last year and from the Asia Cup, citing security concerns.

India are the defending champions. They won the 2024 title by beating China in the final. The tournament is the first major hockey event to be hosted by Punjab.