Pakistan Hockey Team and the Asian Champions Trophy in India: Dates, India Match and What Is Undecided

The Men's Asian Champions Trophy in hockey runs from 27 October to 5 November 2026 in Punjab, India, and Pakistan is drawn to play India on 1 November in Jalandhar. Pakistan's travel is reported to depend on government clearance, and its federation has asked for a neutral venue.

Pakistan's hockey players came home from the Asian Games with a bronze medal. Their next test is already on the calendar, and it is not a simple trip. Here are the dates, the dispute and what could still change.

The tournament runs from 27 October to 5 November

The Men's Asian Champions Trophy has six teams: Pakistan, India, China, Japan, Malaysia and Korea. League games are reported to be in Jalandhar, and the semi-finals and final in Mohali. The tournament starts on 27 October and ends on 5 November.

The match everyone looks at is India against Pakistan. It is listed for 1 November in Jalandhar. In a six-team event every team plays the others once, so Pakistan would have five league games before the knockout stage.

The Pakistan Hockey Federation asked for a neutral venue

The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) formally asked the Asian Hockey Federation to move the tournament out of India, or to shift all of Pakistan's matches to a neutral venue. It cited the sensitive situation between the two countries and security concerns.

PHF president Mohyuddin Ahmed Wani said Pakistan is not withdrawing. He said the team is ready to face India and all other sides, if the games are played at a neutral place. The request was reported to follow guidance from the government.

Hockey India's secretary general, Bhola Nath Singh, was reported to reject the request. He said the venue will not change and that Pakistan would have to travel, as in the past.

Reports differ on whether Pakistan is confirmed

Some reports in mid-September said Pakistan was confirmed for the event in India. Others said the visit was awaiting a government decision. These two accounts cannot both be the whole truth, so we treat the visit as undecided.

We could not open the PHF, Asian Hockey Federation or Hockey India pages on 8 October, and we found no newer official notice. Our latest reading comes from press reports dated 15 to 17 September.

That gap matters. Three weeks is a long time in a dispute like this. A decision may have been made since, and we do not claim to know it.

What we know about Pakistan's form and bronze medal

Pakistan's team beat Korea 5-3 for bronze at the Asian Games on 3 October, after a 4-3 semi-final loss to India. Both games are in our reports on the 5-3 win over Korea and the semi-final against India.

That run shows a team that can score late in a game. Against Korea, Pakistan were behind at half time and scored three times in the last quarter. The full run of results is in our summary of Pakistan hockey at the Asian Games.

Korea, India and Malaysia are all in the Asian Champions Trophy field as well, so this event gives Pakistan a quick rematch against the same sides.

What to watch for before 27 October

The wait is hard on the players. A squad needs weeks to plan training, fitness tests and travel papers. When the venue and the clearance stay open, coaches cannot fix their match plans. That is why an early answer matters to the team, whatever the answer is. For fans, the practical advice is simple: do not book travel to India or plan a watch party until the schedule is confirmed.

Four things will settle the question. Watch for them in this order:

1. A decision from the Asian Hockey Federation on the venue request.
2. A government statement allowing or refusing the travel.
3. A PHF squad announcement for the tournament.
4. A schedule and broadcast notice, if the games go ahead.

If the venue stays in India and Pakistan does not travel, the usual result is a forfeit, but the rules of the Asian Hockey Federation decide that, and we have not read them. So we are not predicting an outcome.

Common questions

When is the Men's Asian Champions Trophy 2026?

It is reported to run from 27 October to 5 November 2026 in Punjab, India, with matches in Jalandhar and Mohali.

When does Pakistan play India in hockey?

The India v Pakistan league match is listed for 1 November in Jalandhar.

Has Pakistan confirmed it will travel to India?

Not clearly. Reports differ. The PHF said travel depends on government clearance and asked for a neutral venue.

Has the venue been changed?

We found no sign of a change. Hockey India was reported to reject the request in September.

Which teams play in the Asian Champions Trophy?

Six teams are listed: Pakistan, India, China, Japan, Malaysia and Korea.

How we verified this

What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.

Last checked on 8 October 2026. The dates, teams and venues are as reported in the press and the statements attributed to PHF president Mohyuddin Ahmed Wani and Hockey India. We could not open the PHF, Asian Hockey Federation or Hockey India websites, so none of this is confirmed on an official page. Pakistan's Asian Games results come from the official results system we read on 3 October. We will update this page when a decision is published.