India Aims for Record Sixth Title in Mens Asian Champions Trophy

New Delhi, October 12 (Daily Kiran) : The Men’s Asian Champions Trophy 2026 is set to take place in Punjab from October 27 to November 5. The Indian men’s hockey team, the reigning champions, will strive for their sixth title after winning five out of eight editions.

In this ninth edition of the tournament, hosted in Jalandhar and Mohali, India aims to maintain its dominance following a successful title defense at the Asian Games earlier this year.

Since clinching the inaugural title in 2011, India has secured the continental championship under various circumstances. These include victories in shootouts, narrow finals, shared championships, and a comeback win against Malaysia on home soil.

India first claimed the title in 2011 in Ordos, China, defeating their arch-rivals, Pakistan, in a shootout with a score of 4-2 after the match ended scoreless in regulation time. This victory marked India as the inaugural champion of the tournament, which featured six teams.

Five years later, India secured their second title by overcoming Pakistan 3-2 in the final held in Kuantan, Malaysia in 2016. However, the 2018 edition in Muscat, Oman, ended differently. Both India and Pakistan reached the final, but heavy rain prevented the match from being completed, resulting in both teams being declared joint champions. This brought India’s total titles to three.

In 2023, India claimed their fourth title in Chennai, staging a remarkable comeback against Malaysia after trailing 1-3 at halftime to win 4-3. This victory solidified India’s status as the most successful nation in the tournament’s history.

In 2024, India further enhanced their record with a 1-0 victory against the host nation in Hulunbuir, China, at the Moki Hockey Training Base.

RSG