JALANDHAR, October 21: Preparations for the Hero Asian Champions Trophy Punjab 2026 have entered their final stage in Jalandhar, with former Punjab Sports Minister and Aam Aadmi Party leader Meet Hayer visiting the Olympian Surjit Singh Hockey Stadium to review arrangements ahead of the international tournament beginning October 27.
During the inspection, Hayer said Punjab has a historic relationship with hockey and that Jalandhar has played a major role in producing players who have represented India at the highest level. He said hosting a major international competition in the city would give local hockey fans, particularly young players, an opportunity to watch some of Asia’s leading teams compete on their home ground.
Highlighting Jalandhar’s hockey heritage, Hayer referred to Sansarpur village, widely associated with generations of international hockey players. He said several members of the current Indian setup also have strong links with Punjab and with the hockey system developed around Jalandhar. He specifically referred to prominent players including Harmanpreet Singh and Mandeep Singh while underlining the region’s contribution to Indian hockey.
The Hero Asian Champions Trophy Punjab 2026 will feature India, Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, China and Bangladesh. League-stage matches will be played at the Olympian Surjit Singh Hockey Stadium in Jalandhar from October 27 to November 2. The tournament will then move to the Olympian Balbir Singh Senior International Hockey Stadium in Mohali, where the concluding matches will be staged on November 4 and 5.
Hayer appealed to people from Jalandhar and other parts of Punjab to visit the stadium with their children and watch the international players in action. He said exposure to high-level competition could encourage more youngsters to take an interest in hockey and other sports.
Speaking about investment in sports, Hayer said the Punjab government had substantially increased spending on sports infrastructure, coaching and athlete development. Official figures released by the state earlier in 2026 put the sports allocation at around ₹1,791 crore, compared with ₹350 crore in 2023-24. The state has also announced the development of thousands of rural sports grounds and expansion of coaching and training facilities.
Hayer said financial assistance before major competitions was particularly important because athletes face considerable expenses during training and preparation. Under Punjab’s sports policy, eligible athletes have been provided preparation assistance including ₹15 lakh for the Olympic Games and ₹8 lakh for the Asian Games, while assistance has also been announced for several other major international competitions.
He said supporting players only after they win medals is not enough and that financial backing during the preparation stage can help athletes concentrate on training without unnecessary financial pressure. He also pointed to cash awards and government employment opportunities offered to successful sportspersons as part of the state’s broader sports policy.
Responding to a question regarding Pakistan not being part of the final six-team field, Hayer said sport should remain a platform for promoting goodwill and peaceful engagement between countries. He added that security and other arrangements for the international competition were being coordinated by the authorities ahead of the opening matches.
The final tournament lineup published by the Asian Hockey Federation includes India, Bangladesh, China, Japan, South Korea and Malaysia.
Hayer said international tournaments such as the Asian Champions Trophy can have a long-term impact beyond the matches themselves by allowing local players to observe top-level competition closely. He added that producing international-level athletes requires sustained work on infrastructure, coaching, competition exposure and financial support over several years.
With the opening match day scheduled for October 27, Jalandhar is preparing to host the entire league phase of the tournament before the competition shifts to Mohali for its decisive stage. India will open its campaign against Bangladesh at the Surjit Singh Hockey Stadium.
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