Bhopal Set to Host Women’s Asian Champions Trophy with Defending Indian Champions

Bhopal will host the 2026 Women’s Asian Champions Trophy from November 19 to 28, with Hockey India unveiling the Indian squad on Tuesday, November 10.

Midfielder Salima Tete, fresh from a gold‑medal performance at the Asian Games in Japan, has been named captain of the side. Veteran goalkeeper Savita Poonia, who steered India to gold at the 2026 Asian Games, is absent from the list; the goalkeeping department will be handled by Bansri Solanki and Bichu Devi Kharebam.

India steps into the tournament as the reigning champion, having claimed the trophy in 2016, 2023 and 2024. The objective is to preserve this dominance and achieve a hat‑trick of consecutive titles.

Six nations – China, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, South Korea and India – will contest the trophy. South Korea, like India, also boasts three titles in the competition’s history.

The competition follows a round‑robin system, where each team plays five matches. The top four teams will advance to the semifinals, scheduled for November 27, with the final on November 28.

India’s opening match will be against Malaysia following the opening ceremony. The tournament’s inaugural game features China versus Thailand.

Head Coach Shord Marin stated his intention to give emerging players international exposure, even experimenting with positional shifts to gauge adaptability. He expressed enthusiasm about performing before a home crowd.

The rest of India’s schedule includes clashes with South Korea on November 21, Thailand on November 22, China on November 24 and Japan on November 25.

Hockey India President Dilip Tarki described the Bhopal edition as a critical platform to sustain the momentum from the Asian Games gold, while Secretary General Bholanath Singh wished the team success and anticipated robust support from Madhya Pradesh’s hockey enthusiasts.