Jalandhar, October 28: The excitement surrounding the Hero Men's Asian Champions Trophy 2026 continues to grow in Jalandhar as participating teams prepare for the next round of international hockey matches. After an entertaining opening day at the Olympian Surjit Singh Hockey Stadium in Burlton Park, Wednesday, October 28, was observed as an official rest day, with no competitive fixtures scheduled. However, preparations continued at the venue as several teams used the break for training ahead of Thursday's matches.
The tournament began on October 27 with three matches that brought international hockey back to Punjab. The Indian men's hockey team made an impressive start to its title defence by defeating Bangladesh 13-0 in front of the home crowd. The commanding victory gave India early momentum in the six-nation competition and provided Jalandhar's hockey supporters with an encouraging opening performance.
India's attacking display against Bangladesh was one of the highlights of the opening day. Mandeep Singh scored a hat-trick, while captain Harmanpreet Singh, Dilpreet Singh and Hardik Singh contributed two goals each. The result placed India at the top of the standings after the first round of matches, with the team now preparing for a different challenge against China.
The other opening-day encounters also produced closely contested results. Malaysia secured a 5-4 victory over China in a nine-goal match, while Japan defeated South Korea 3-2. With all six participating nations having completed their first matches, attention has shifted towards the second round, where teams will look to strengthen their positions in the league standings.
Although October 28 was designated as a rest day, the stadium remained active with preparations for the upcoming fixtures. Teams from Malaysia, Bangladesh, China and South Korea were scheduled to participate in practice sessions at the Jalandhar venue. The break provides players and coaching staff with an opportunity to review their opening performances, work on tactical adjustments and prepare for their next opponents.
All three matches scheduled for Thursday, October 29, will take place at the Olympian Surjit Singh Hockey Stadium. Malaysia will face South Korea in the opening fixture at 2:30 PM, followed by Bangladesh against Japan at 4:45 PM. The day's final encounter will feature hosts India taking on China at 7 PM, a match expected to attract considerable attention from local hockey supporters.
India will enter the match against China following its convincing victory over Bangladesh. China, meanwhile, will be looking to recover from its narrow opening-day defeat to Malaysia. The encounter will offer both sides an important opportunity to build momentum in the round-robin stage, where every result contributes towards qualification for the semifinals.
The ongoing tournament has brought a festive sporting atmosphere to Jalandhar, a city known for its longstanding association with Indian hockey. Burlton Park has become a centre of activity for players, officials and spectators arriving to witness international competition. The event has also given aspiring young hockey players from Punjab an opportunity to experience the sport at the highest Asian level.
Apart from the matches, arrangements at the stadium reflect Punjab's cultural identity. A specially developed attraction highlighting traditional village life and the state's heritage has added another dimension to the event, offering visitors an experience beyond the hockey field.
Jalandhar will continue hosting the league-stage matches until November 2, after which the competition will move to Mohali. The semifinals are scheduled for November 4, followed by the bronze-medal match and final on November 5. The top four teams from the league stage will advance to the semifinals.
With three matches lined up for Thursday, the focus now turns to India's encounter with China. Following the home team's strong start, local supporters will be watching closely as the defending champions attempt to maintain their winning momentum in front of the Punjab crowd.
For permission to reuse our original reporting or images, contact The Jalandhar Times.
