Chandigarh, May 23: Punjab will host the Asian Hockey Champions Trophy for the first time in its history this October, establishing a major milestone for the state’s sporting landscape, Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann announced Thursday.
Following a high-level review meeting with Hockey India representatives in Chandigarh, Mann stated that the state administration has guaranteed full cooperation, top-tier facility coordination, and comprehensive security protocols for all visiting international delegations and athletes. The tournament will feature the top six squads emerging from the Asian Games, which finish in early October.
The chief minister noted that despite Punjab’s long record of developing legendary hockey talent for the nation, the state had never previously been selected to host an international tournament of this magnitude.
“Punjab has always been the nursery of hockey, and hosting such an international tournament on our soil will further inspire our youth to connect with sports fields,” Mann said.
According to the tournament plan, matches will take place at the Balbir Singh Sr. Hockey Stadium in Mohali and the Surjit Hockey Stadium in Jalandhar. Mann maintained that bringing world-class hockey to local turf serves a dual purpose: correcting a long-standing historical oversight and generating fresh athletic interest among regional youth.
The chief minister also shared that a separate Four-Nation Invitational Tournament has received formal approval for the state, which he described as another significant win for local sports infrastructure.
Mann concluded by urging citizens and athletes to rally around these upcoming events to help restore the region’s historic athletic prominence.
“Let us all come together to once again create a ‘Rangla Punjab’ in the field of sports,” Mann asserted.
