India vs Pakistan Match Date: The Pakistan team will visit India for the hockey tournament scheduled for next month. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann spoke about Pakistan's participation in the tournament, which is being hosted by Punjab.
Hockey Asian Champions Trophy 2026 Schedule Released: Check India’s Fixtures
The Pakistan team is set to tour India next month; their visit was confirmed following the release of the schedule. On Monday (September 14), Hockey India made a major announcement regarding the 2026 Men's Asian Champions Trophy, scheduled to take place from October 27 to November 5. Regarding the tournament, which is being hosted by Punjab, the Indian hockey board referred to the announcement made by the state's Chief Minister, Bhagwant Mann.
The post stated, "Punjab's Hon'ble Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann officially announced the dates for the AHF Men's Asian Champions Trophy 2026 in Mohali on Monday. The tournament will be held in Mohali and Jalandhar from October 27 to November 5. Hockey India Secretary General Bhola Nath Singh, Director General Commander R.K. Srivastava, Executive Board member Mr. R.P. Singh, and Hockey Punjab President Mr. Nitin Kohli were also present on the occasion."
Details regarding which matches would be played in which city were also provided. Mohali and Jalandhar were selected as the host cities. The tournament's opening ceremony and league-stage matches will take place in Jalandhar, while the semi-finals and final will be played in Mohali. Teams from India, Pakistan, China, Japan, Korea, and Malaysia will participate in the tournament.
| Date | Match / Event | Time (IST) | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 27, 2026 | Japan vs. Malaysia | 2:30 PM | Jalandhar |
| October 27, 2026 | Pakistan vs. China | 4:45 PM | Jalandhar |
| October 27, 2026 | India vs. South Korea | 7:00 PM | Jalandhar |
| October 28, 2026 | Rest Day | — | — |
| November 1, 2026 | India vs. Pakistan | TBD | Jalandhar |
| November 4, 2026 | Semi-Finals | TBD | Mohali |
| November 5, 2026 | Final | TBD | Mohali |
What did Bhagwant Mann say regarding Pakistan's participation in the tournament?
Responding to a question about Pakistan's participation in the hockey tournament, Bhagwant Mann said, "There is no issue with a multi-nation tournament; however, a bilateral series between the two countries (India vs. Pakistan) might not take place." It is also worth noting that Oman and Bangladesh have been kept as reserve teams; should any team withdraw from the tournament, one of them could be included as a replacement.
India's policy on bilateral series with Pakistan
The central sports policy regarding Pakistan prohibits any form of bilateral engagement with the country—against which India had undertaken a brief military action following the deaths of 26 people in the Pahalgam terror attack last year.
