Rajgir: The Men’s Hockey Asia Cup will open in Rajgir, on Friday marking the first time the state has hosted the continental tournament. Eight nations – India, China, Japan, Chinese Taipei, Malaysia, South Korea, Kazakhstan and Bangladesh – will compete in the ten-day competition, with the champions earning direct qualification for the Hockey World Cup.
Matches will be played across two new Astroturf pitches in Rajgir, developed with German engineering and certified by the International Hockey Federation. Both venues are equipped with floodlights and sprinkler systems.
India have been drawn into Pool A alongside Japan, China and Kazakhstan, while Pool B consists of Malaysia, South Korea, Bangladesh and Chinese Taipei. Games will run from August 29 to September 7, with rest days scheduled for September 2 and 5. The final will be played on September 7.
Ravindran Shankaran, director general of the Bihar State Sports Authority, said teams would be accommodated in Rajgir, with transport, interpreters and security provided. Players will have separate stadium entry points, while seven parking sites and new traffic arrangements have been introduced for spectators.
This is the 12th edition of the tournament and the third time it has been staged in India, following Delhi in 1989 and Chennai in 2007. South Korea are the most successful team in the competition’s history with five titles, followed by India and Pakistan with three each.
Entry to the matches will be free but requires advance booking via the Ticketgenie app, with Aadhaar card verification mandatory. Spectators can secure up to two daily passes per person, valid from 9am to 5pm. For those unable to attend, fan parks with LED screens will broadcast matches in all 38 district headquarters of Bihar.
Alongside the competition, organisers have scheduled special events to mark National Sports Day on August 29, the birth anniversary of hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand. These include “Hockey with Harmanpreet”, in which young players will train with India captain Harmanpreet Singh, and “Sunday on Cycle”, a community cycling event with players and officials.
The tournament mascot, named Chand in tribute to Dhyan Chand, symbolises the hockey great’s dedication to training under moonlight while serving in the army.
