Bhubaneswar, Nov. 12 -- Hockey India president Dilip Tirkey welcomed the return of international women's hockey to Bhopal, highlighting the city's rich hockey heritage ahead of the Women's Asian Champions Trophy 2026, scheduled to be held from November 19 to 28.

He said hosting the tournament after several years would help revive the sport's popularity in the region and encourage more local players to emerge in the future.

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.

"A tournament is being held in Bhopal after many years. There was a time when Bhopal had a strong domestic hockey culture, and many players emerged ...