Asian Champions Trophy 2026: Pakistan Asks AHF to Shift Tournament From India to Neutral Venue

In an official letter addressed to the Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) on Wednesday, Pakistan asked AHF to shift the Asian Champions Trophy (ACT) fixtures from the host country, India, to a neutral venue due to the tense bilateral relations between the two countries. The reason cited by the PHF is that it wants a neutral venue so that it can participate smoothly in the Asian Champions Trophy (ACT).

PHF President Mohiuddin Ahmed Wani said in a statement that they have requested to move all or part of the entire tournament to a neutral venue. "This decision was taken in view of the current sensitive bilateral situation between Pakistan and India and the prevailing security circumstances," Wani said in the statement. Its objective is to ensure a safe, dignified, and conducive environment for national players and officials.

The Asian Champions Trophy will be held from October 27th to November 5th in Mohali and Jalandhar, Punjab. Teams from India, Pakistan, Malaysia, China, Japan, and South Korea are among the participating teams. Pakistan did not participate in last year's Asia Cup in India due to political tensions with India. The opening ceremony and all league-level matches will be played in Jalandhar from October 27th to November 2nd. The tournament will then move to Mohali, where the semi-finals will be played on November 4th and the final on November 5th, marking a grand finale.