Punjab to Host Asian Champions Trophy Hockey Tournament, Marking Entry into Global FIH/AHF Event Circuit

Better late than never, Punjab has finally stepped onto the global stage of international hockey hosting. Despite its long-standing and unmatched contribution to the sport, the state has only now joined the list of regions hosting tournaments promoted by the International Hockey Federation (FIH) and the Asian Hockey Federation (AHF).

After more than a century of nurturing world-class hockey talent, Punjab has agreed to host a major international tournament under FIH and AHF frameworks. From October 29 to November 11, the Punjab Hockey Association, with support from the state government, will host the inaugural Asian Champions Trophy for men. The tournament will feature the top six teams from the upcoming Asian Games in Japan scheduled for September and October.

With this development, Punjab joins a select group of states such as Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Tamil Nadu, Bihar, and Telangana that have hosted FIH-sanctioned events in recent years. The tournament will be co-hosted by Mohali and Jalandhar.

States that have organized international hockey tournaments since 2014 are reported to have gained political visibility through the successful execution of such events. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, who met representatives of the Asian Hockey Federation, Hockey India, and Hockey Punjab in Chandigarh on Monday evening, “broke” the story at a press conference on Tuesday.

With Punjab Assembly elections due early next year, the timing of the announcement has drawn attention. The Chief Minister noted that Punjab has historically been a key contributor to Indian hockey. The state sent nine players to the Tokyo Olympic Games, where India secured a bronze medal after a 41-year gap. At the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, where India won a second consecutive bronze medal, 11 players from Punjab were part of the national team.

The opening and closing ceremonies of the Asian Champions Trophy will be held at the Mohali Hockey Stadium on October 29 and November 11. The opening match and the final will also take place in Mohali, while the remaining matches will be played at the Surjit Hockey Stadium in Jalandhar.

The Chief Minister highlighted that Punjab last hosted a hockey Test match more than three decades ago. Although a four-nation tournament was organized in the late 1990s during KPS Gill’s tenure as Director-General of Police and President of the Punjab Hockey Association, it was held at the Sector 42 Hockey Stadium in Chandigarh and was an invitation event rather than an FIH or AHF tournament. 

Officials from the AHF and Hockey India have also suggested that Punjab consider hosting an annual four-nation tournament. They assured support in securing such an event for the state. The Chief Minister stated that the government would examine the proposal. 

Despite training the 1975 World Cup-winning Indian team in Chandigarh, Punjab has historically not been able to host major international tournaments. Its contributions to Indian hockey have often gone unrecognized. Under the earlier administration of the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF), stringent financial requirements, including high hosting fees and strict control over advertising rights, made it difficult for Punjab to secure hosting rights. As a result, bids from the state were frequently rejected on financial grounds.

Odisha was the first state to successfully host FIH and AHF events under Hockey India, with Bhubaneswar hosting the 2014 Champions Trophy.

Based on current projections, the teams likely to feature in the Asian Champions Trophy include Pakistan, Japan, Korea, China, Malaysia, and hosts India.

Historically, Chennai hosted the Champions Trophy in the late 1990s, following the Rene Frank International Hockey Tournament held there after the 1975 World Cup.

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