India will host the Asian Championship Trophy of Hockey at Chennai from August 3 to 12 this year, with the International event returning to the city after 16 years as per source PTI. The games will be played at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium. Pakistan and China are yet to confirm their participation.
Tamil Nadu sports Udhayanidhi Stalin said that it is a pride moment for the state to host the Hero Asian Championship Hockey tournament as Chennai was once the capital of Hockey in South India where several domestic and international events were conducted and he believes that hosting this event will revive sports in this region. Chennai last hosted Asian Cup Hockey in 2007 in the same stadium where India clinched the title defeating Korea 7-2.
According to the organizers, while Pakistan and China will confirm their participation by 25th April, defending champion South Korea, Malaysia, and Japan has already confirmed.
Hockey India Secretary, General Bhola Nath Singh said that the federation has already visited the venue taking notes of the ongoing preparation. General Singh said that although Odisha has been the center of major international hockey tournaments the federation is keen to spread international tournaments in different states of the country.