Bhopal, Nov 14 : Bhopal, which has produced several Olympians and international hockey players, is set to return to the Asian hockey spotlight as it prepares to host the Women's Asian Hockey Champions Trophy 2026 from November 19 to 28.
Six teams â€" India, China, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia and Thailand â€" will compete in the tournament at the newly developed International Sports Complex in Nathu Barkheda, providing the historic hockey city an opportunity to showcase its sporting legacy and modern infrastructure.
For Bhopal, hosting the continental championship is significant as the city has been closely associated with Indian hockey for decades and has produced players who represented the country at the Olympics and other major international competitions.
Ahmed Sher Khan, a member of India's gold medal-winning team at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, was among the prominent hockey players from Bhopal. His son, Aslam Sher Khan, represented India at the 1972 Munich Olympics and played a key role in the country's maiden Hockey World Cup triumph in 1975.
Inam-ur-Rehman, a member of India's bronze medal-winning team at the 1968 Mexico Olympics, and players such as Syed Jalaluddin Rizvi and Sameer Dad, who represented India at the 1984 Los Angeles and 2000 Sydney Olympics, respectively, also contributed to the city's hockey heritage. The legacy has continued through the state's sports academies.
Bhopal's Madhya Pradesh State Men's Hockey Academy has produced Olympic medallists Vivek Sagar Prasad and Nilakanta Sharma.
Vivek was part of India's bronze medal-winning teams at the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Olympics, while Nilakanta was a member of the Tokyo Olympic team. The Gwalior-based women's hockey academy has also produced international players, including Sushila Chanu, who captained the Indian women's team at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
The Madhya Pradesh government said in a statement on Saturday that hosting the championship would provide an international platform to showcase the state's sporting tradition and infrastructure.
"The hosting of the Women's Asian Hockey Champions Trophy 2026 in Bhopal is not merely an opportunity to organise an international sporting event, but also a platform to showcase the state's rich sporting tradition, modern infrastructure and world-class facilities being provided to athletes," the statement said.
It added that the selection of Bhopal reflected the state's sports infrastructure, organisational capabilities and commitment to sports. The international sports complex at Nathu Barkheda has a modern synthetic hockey turf and floodlight facilities. The men's hockey academy in Bhopal also has two floodlit synthetic grounds and residential accommodation for 150 players.
India, a three-time winner of the tournament, will open its campaign against Malaysia on November 19. The semi-finals are scheduled for November 27 and the final for November 28.
Entry for spectators will be free, the government said, adding that the tournament would also provide an opportunity to inspire young players, particularly girls, by bringing leading Asian women's hockey teams to the state.
--IANS
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