India play Japan in the final of the Asian Champions Trophy 2026 on Thursday, November 5.
The match is at the Olympian Balbir Singh Senior Hockey Stadium in Mohali.
India are chasing their sixth Asian Champions Trophy title. Harmanpreet Singh is leading the team.
India have been dominant so far. In their first five matches, they scored 34 goals and conceded only five.
Graphic: News Anek, from the facts in this report
In the semi-final on Wednesday, India scored eight goals against Korea.
India Today reported this preview on the day of the final.
Key points
- India face Japan in the final on Thursday, November 5, in Mohali.
- India are chasing a sixth Asian Champions Trophy title.
- Japan were the only team to trouble India in the league stage.
- India have already won Asian Games gold and qualified directly for the 2028 Olympics.
So why is Japan seen as a real threat?
Japan started with a 3-2 win over Korea. They then won 1-0 against Bangladesh.
In the league match against India, Japan lost. But they pushed the hosts for nearly 47 minutes.
Japan's high press disrupted India's rhythm from the start. Even after India scored first, they struggled to settle.
What does this final mean for India's season?
The Hockey Pro League ended in disappointment again. The World Cup campaign was also far from satisfactory.
But India's main target was gold at the Asian Games, and they achieved it.
That also secured direct qualification for the 2028 Olympics.
A title in Mohali would give the team a high note to end the year on.
What happens next for the team?
The final is on Thursday. This report is a preview, so the result is not known yet.
For India, the match is a chance to add another trophy.
For Japan, it is a chance to upset the hosts in front of a home crowd.
