Jalandhar, Oct. 25 -- As Punjab is set to host the Men's Asian Hockey Champions Trophy 2026 starting on October 27, the state gave a rousing welcome to the international hockey squads from Bangladesh, Japan, China, and Malaysia when they arrived at the Olympian Surjit Hockey Stadium in Jalandhar for their practice sessions on Saturday. Local residents and enthusiastic budding hockey players gathered in large numbers to greet the visiting athletes. For Punjab, this championship will be the first international event in 17 years since the Punjab Gold Cup, the last international hockey tournament held in the state in 2009. Teams from six nations-India, Malaysia, China, Japan, South Korea, and Bangladesh-will take part in the tournament over a period of 10 days. Jalandhar will host the opening ceremony and league-stage matches from October 27 to November 2, while the semi-finals, third-place match, and final are scheduled to take place at the Olympian Balbir Singh Senior International Hockey Stadium in Mohali from November 4 to 5. The first match is scheduled on October 27 between Malaysia and China, followed by Japan versus Korea, and host India taking on Bangladesh at the Jalandhar stadium. Entry will be free for spectators, who can download their match pass by scanning a QR code right outside the venue. To review the final preparations for the tournament, a meeting was co-chaired by Jalandhar deputy commissioner (DC) Varjeet Walia and commissioner of police (CP) Satinder Singh. Walia said directions have been issued to all administrative and police officials to execute their designated duties with utmost dedication to ensure the smooth conduct of the international sporting event. "Every effort must be made to ensure that spectators face no inconvenience during the event," the DC said. Detailing the security blueprint, the CP assured that foolproof security measures have been put in place for players, officials, and attendees. With this international tournament, the state government is aiming to promote hockey and other sports in Punjab and encourage more young people to take up sporting activities. On October 21, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Mohali mayor Sarabjit Singh during a press conference stated that Rs.25 crore has been allocated to upgrade Jalandhar and Mohali stadiums to international standards. Out of this total, Rs.16 crore goes toward Jalandhar's facilities, and roughly Rs.8.90 crore is earmarked for Mohali. Reigning Asian Games champions India are the most successful team in the tournament, having won the title five times in 2011, 2016, 2018, 2023, and 2024....