The Asian Hockey Federation has released the match schedule for the Madhya Pradesh Women’s Asian Champions Trophy Bhopal 2026, which will take place from November 19 to 28 at the new hockey stadium within Bhopal’s International Sports Complex in Nathu Barkheda.
Six teams-India, Japan, China, Malaysia, Thailand, and South Korea-will vie for the continental title in a tournament expected to be a significant showcase of women’s hockey.
The event holds special importance for the Indian women’s hockey team, marking their first international competition since their historic gold medal victory at the Asian Games in Japan last month. India enters the tournament as defending champions and three-time winners, having secured the title in 2016, 2023, and 2024. The host nation aims to win a third consecutive title and extend their dominance in the competition.
The tournament will follow a round-robin format with each team playing five matches, facing every other team once. The four highest-ranked teams at the conclusion of this stage will progress to the semi-finals.
The opening day on November 19 features China against Thailand in the tournament opener, followed by India’s first match against Malaysia after the opening ceremony. India’s subsequent matches will be against South Korea on November 21, Thailand on November 22, China on November 24, and Japan on November 25.
November 20, 23, and 26 are designated rest days. The classification match for fifth and sixth place and the two semi-finals will occur on November 27. The competition will conclude on November 28 with the bronze medal match and the final, deciding the three medal-winning teams.
With six competitive teams participating and India seeking to continue its winning streak, the tournament is set to feature some of the finest talent in Asian women’s hockey.
Hockey India President Dilip Tirkey stated, “The Madhya Pradesh Women’s Asian Champions Trophy Bhopal 2026 will be a great opportunity to celebrate the growing strength of women’s hockey in Asia. I am delighted that Bhopal will host six competitive teams, and I look forward to seeing our Indian team build on its recent Asian Games success and defend its title.”
Hockey India Secretary General Bhola Nath Singh added, “As the schedule for the Madhya Pradesh Women’s Asian Champions Trophy Bhopal 2026 is announced, the tournament is set to bring some of Asia’s strongest women’s hockey teams together. Coming on the back of India’s historic Asian Games gold medal, this tournament will be an important opportunity for our players to carry forward that momentum. We are grateful to the Madhya Pradesh Government for their support and look forward to welcoming the participating teams, officials and hockey fans to Bhopal for an exciting competition.”