Pakistan have withdrawn from the Men's Asian Champions Trophy 2026, which is set to begin in India on October 27, 2026. The move was largely anticipated amid the seriously deteriorated sporting ties between India and Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack in 2025.
The Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) has named Bangladesh as Pakistan's replacement, and the tournament is set to commence as per the original schedule.
In this article, we will look at the reason behind Pakistan's withdrawal, the revised list of participating teams, the complete match schedule and the difference between the Men's Asian Champions Trophy and the Hockey Asia Cup.
Why Has Pakistan Withdrawn from Men's Asian Champions Trophy 2026?
The sporting ties between India and Pakistan have seriously deteriorated following the Pahalgam terror attack in 2025. The impact has been seen across a wide range of sports, including hockey.
The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) requested a neutral venue, citing security concerns about travelling to India. However, Hockey India and the Asian Hockey Federation rejected the request, leading to Pakistan's withdrawal from the tournament.
Earlier, Pakistan had also withdrawn from the Men's Hockey Asia Cup 2025 and the Junior Hockey World Cup 2025,.
Who Replaced Pakistan in Men's Asian Champions Trophy 2026?
Bangladesh are set to replace Pakistan in the Men's Asian Champions Trophy 2026 following the withdrawal. With the replacement confirmed, the tournament will feature 6 teams.
The revised list of participating teams is as follows:
-
India
Malaysia
Japan
South Korea
China
Bangladesh
Men's Asian Champions Trophy 2026: Revised Schedule
The Men's Asian Champions Trophy 2026 schedule remains unchanged, with Bangladesh taking Pakistan's place in the fixtures. India will begin its campaign against Bangladesh on October 27, 2026, at 7:00 PM IST in Jalandhar.
Below is the complete schedule of the tournament.
Full Tournament Schedule
|
Date
|
Fixture
|
Time (IST)
|
Venue
|
|
October 27
|
Malaysia vs China
|
1:00 PM
|
Jalandhar
|
|
October 27
|
Japan vs South Korea
|
3:15 PM
|
Jalandhar
|
|
October 27
|
Opening Ceremony
|
5:30 PM–6:30 PM
|
Jalandhar
|
|
October 27
|
India vs Bangladesh
|
7:00 PM
|
Jalandhar
|
|
October 28
|
Rest Day
|
—
|
—
|
|
October 29
|
Malaysia vs South Korea
|
2:30 PM
|
Jalandhar
|
|
October 29
|
Bangladesh vs Japan
|
4:45 PM
|
Jalandhar
|
|
October 29
|
India vs China
|
7:00 PM
|
Jalandhar
|
|
October 30
|
Bangladesh vs Malaysia
|
2:30 PM
|
Jalandhar
|
|
October 30
|
South Korea vs China
|
4:45 PM
|
Jalandhar
|
|
October 30
|
Japan vs India
|
7:00 PM
|
Jalandhar
|
|
October 31
|
Rest Day
|
—
|
—
|
|
November 1
|
South Korea vs Bangladesh
|
2:30 PM
|
Jalandhar
|
|
November 1
|
China vs Japan
|
4:45 PM
|
Jalandhar
|
|
November 1
|
Malaysia vs India
|
7:00 PM
|
Jalandhar
|
|
November 2
|
China vs Bangladesh
|
2:30 PM
|
Jalandhar
|
|
November 2
|
Japan vs Malaysia
|
4:45 PM
|
Jalandhar
|
|
November 2
|
India vs South Korea
|
7:00 PM
|
Jalandhar
|
|
November 3
|
Rest Day
|
—
|
—
|
|
November 4
|
5th-place playoff: 5th vs 6th
|
2:30 PM
|
Mohali
|
|
November 4
|
Semi-final 1: 1st vs 4th
|
4:45 PM
|
Mohali
|
|
November 4
|
Semi-final 2: 2nd vs 3rd
|
7:00 PM
|
Mohali
|
|
November 5
|
Bronze-medal match: Loser SF1 vs Loser SF2
|
4:45 PM
|
Mohali
|
|
November 5
|
Gold-medal match (Final): Winner SF1 vs Winner SF2
|
7:30 PM
|
Mohali
|
India's Match Schedule
|
Date
|
Fixture
|
Time (IST)
|
Venue
|
|
October 27, 2026
|
India vs Bangladesh
|
7:00 PM
|
Jalandhar
|
|
October 29, 2026
|
India vs China
|
7:00 PM
|
Jalandhar
|
|
October 30, 2026
|
Japan vs India
|
7:00 PM
|
Jalandhar
|
|
November 1, 2026
|
Malaysia vs India
|
7:00 PM
|
Jalandhar
|
|
November 2, 2026
|
India vs South Korea
|
7:00 PM
|
Jalandhar
|
Are the Hockey Asia Cup and Asian Champions Trophy the Same?
No, the Hockey Asia Cup and the Asian Champions Trophy are 2 distinct continental hockey tournaments organised by the Asian Hockey Federation. Although both competitions feature leading Asian hockey teams, they are separate events with different competition formats and histories.
India have been dominant in the Men's Asian Champions Trophy, with 5 titles to their name. Following their gold-medal victory at the Asian Games 2026, India will be looking to clinch the title once again and continue their dominance in Asian hockey.