New Delhi [India], November 4 (ANI): The Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) has announced the match schedule for the Madhya Pradesh Women's Asian Champions Trophy Bhopal 2026, which will be held from November 19 to 28 at Bhopal's new hockey stadium at the International Sports Complex in Nathu Barkheda.

Six teams, India, Japan, China, Malaysia, Thailand and South Korea, will compete for the continental title in what promises to be an exciting showcase of women's hockey, as per a press release. 

The tournament will hold special significance for the Indian women's hockey team as it marks their first international assignment following their historic gold medal triumph at the Asian Games in Japan last month. The hosts will enter the competition as defending champions and three-time winners, having lifted the title in 2016, 2023 and 2024. India will be aiming to secure a third consecutive title and extend their success in the competition.

The tournament will follow a round-robin format, with each team facing the other five teams once. The top four teams at the end of the league stage will advance to the semi-finals.

The opening day on November 19 will feature China taking on Thailand in the tournament opener. India will begin their campaign against Malaysia in a match preceded by the opening ceremony on the same day. The hosts will subsequently face South Korea on November 21, Thailand on November 22, China on November 24 and Japan on November 25.

November 20, 23 and 26 have been designated as rest days. The classification match for fifth and sixth place, followed by the two semi-finals, will take place on November 27. The tournament will conclude on November 28 with the bronze-medal match and the final, where the three medal-winning teams will be decided.

With six competitive teams in contention and India looking to continue their winning run, the Madhya Pradesh Women's Asian Champions Trophy Bhopal 2026 is set to bring some of the finest talent in Asian women's hockey to Bhopal.

"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," said Hockey India President Dilip Tirkey. "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 said, "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." (ANI)