The Asian Champions Trophy is a hockey tournament that has been held annually under the aegis of the Asian Hockey Federation, since 2011. It only features the top-6 hockey-playing nations of Asia, competing in the round-robin format. It features Asia’s top six field hockey teams competing in a round-robin format during that hockey season. India is the most successful team in this tournament’s history. India, meanwhile, is the most successful nation with four titles under their belt.
The 2024 edition of the Asian Champions Trophy will be held in Hulunbuir, China, from September 8-17. The competing nations are — China (hosts), India, Pakistan, South Korea, Japan, and Malaysia. All the teams will play each other in the league stages, progressing to the semi-final & then final.
Tournament News
Asian Champions Trophy Hockey 2024 Format
The 2024 edition will see three matches being played every day. The tournament opener will see South Korea take on Japan, followed by Pakistan vs Malaysia, and India vs China. September 10 will be a rest day for the teams, and so will be September 13. As per the format, both the losing semi-finalists will appear for the bronze medal match.
Asian Champions Trophy 2024 Standings
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | India (Q) | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 15 |
| 2 | Pakistan (Q) | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 8 |
| 3 | China (Q) | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | −4 | 6 |
| 4 | South Korea (Q) | 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 | −1 | 6 |
| 5 | Malaysia | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | −8 | 5 |
| 6 | Japan | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | −8 | 1 |
Match Schedule and Venues
| Date | Team A | Team B | Time/Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| September 8 | South Korea | Japan | 5-5 |
| Malaysia | Pakistan | 2-2 | |
| India | China | 3-0 | |
| September 9 | South Korea | Pakistan | 2-2 |
| India | Japan | 5-1 | |
| China | Malaysia | 4-2 | |
| September 11 | Pakistan | Japan | 2-1 |
| India | Malaysia | 8-1 | |
| China | South Korea | 2-3 | |
| September 12 | Japan | Malaysia | 4-5 |
| South Korea | India | 1-3 | |
| Pakistan | China | 5-1 | |
| September 14 | Malaysia | South Korea | 3-3 |
| India | Pakistan | 2-1 | |
| Japan | China | 0-2 | |
| September 16 | Malaysia (5th) | Japan (6th) | 4-4 (2-4) |
| Pakistan vs China (Semifinal 1) | 1-1 (0-2) | ||
| India vs South Korea (Semifinal 2) | 4-1 | ||
| September 17 | Bronze: Pakistan vs South Korea | 13:15 | |
| Gold: China vs India | 15:30 | ||
Participating Teams
India
Harmanpreet Singh & Co. are simply the best team in the tournament. Ranked fifth in the world, they recently clinched a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics, and nothing short of a gold medal is expected from them.
China
The Chinese men’s hockey team isn’t really a force to reckon with. They are ranked 23rd in the world currently and had finished sixth in the 2023 edition. Not much is expected from them in 2024 as well.
Japan
The Japanese are ranked 15th in the world and are known for their strong defence. They are coming on the back of a mighty successful Sultan Azlan Shah Cup, where they beat Pakistan in the final.
Malaysia
The team is ranked 13th currently and is pretty inconsistent on the world stage. On a good day, they can beat any top team. In the last edition, they made it to the final.
Pakistan
The former greats are no more a force to reckon with. They have slipped to 16th in the rankings. Their coach Roelant Oltmans has resigned, and some of the key players won’t be participating in the tournament.
South Korea
A world ranking of 14 doesn’t do justice to the quality of the South Korean side. They had won the Asian Champions Trophy in 2021 and would be itching to do the same once again.
Key Players to Watch Out For
Krishan Pathak
The talented goalkeeper has been around in the team since 2018 and has 125 caps under his belt, but after Sreejesh’s retirement, he becomes the first pick. All eyes will be on him.
Harmanpreet Singh
The two-time Olympic medalist is one of the best drag-flickers in the world, and he would be itching to score the highest goals in the tournament.
Vivek Sagar Prasad
He is one of the best mid-fielders in the game today, and it would be a tough task for him to manage the pace of the game with a young team. It will be interesting to see how he performs.
Gurjot Singh
This 19-year-old forward is slated to make his debut in the Asian Champions Trophy. With an eye on the future, he is touted to be the next big thing in Indian hockey.
Live Streaming and Telecast Information
The 2024 Hockey Asian Champions Trophy live telecast will be available on Sony Ten 1 in India. Meanwhile, the live streaming for the tournament can be seen on the Sony Liv app and website. You can also catch the live score updates on InsideSport’s blogs for India matches.
