- Defending champions India will face arch-rivals Pakistan.
- India entered the Asian Games as the defending champions.
- India finished their pool campaign with another convincing victory.
Defending champions India will face arch-rivals Pakistan in the men's hockey semi-final at the Asian Games 2026, with Harmanpreet Singh and his teammates looking to take another step towards retaining their continental crown.
The high-profile clash is scheduled for Thursday, October 1, at 1:00 PM IST at the Gifu Prefectural Green Stadium in Kakamigahara, Japan.
The match will be broadcast live on the Sony Sports Network, while fans in India can stream it live on SonyLIV. Fans will be looking forward to this match particularly with an age old rivalry.
India vs Pakistan Hockey Semi-Final: Date, Time And Venue
Match: India vs Pakistan, Men's Hockey Semi-Final
Date: October 1, 2026
Time: 1:00 PM IST
Venue: Gifu Prefectural Green Stadium, Kakamigahara, Japan
Live Telecast: Sony Sports Network
Live Streaming: SonyLIV
India and Pakistan will meet in the first semi-final, while Malaysia will take on South Korea in the other last-four clash.
India's Journey To The Hockey Semi-Finals
India entered the Asian Games as the defending champions and made a dominant start to their title defence, winning all five of their Pool A matches.
The campaign began with a 13-1 win over Indonesia, followed by an emphatic 16-1 victory against Sri Lanka. India then defeated South Korea 8-2, before overcoming hosts Japan 2-0 to seal their place in the semi-finals with a match still to play.
India finished their pool campaign with another convincing victory, defeating Bangladesh 10-0 in a rain-hit encounter. Captain Harmanpreet Singh scored a hat-trick, while Shilanand Lakra contributed two goals as India completed a perfect five-match record.
India finished at the top of Pool A with five wins from five matches and a goal difference of +45. Their five victories were against Indonesia, Sri Lanka, South Korea, Japan and Bangladesh.
ALSO READ: Asian Games 2026 Medal Tally: India Add Golds In Archery, Shooting; Check Latest Count And Rank
India Eye Another Asian Games Hockey Final
The Indian men's team will now face Pakistan for a place in the gold-medal match. India are aiming to successfully defend the title they won at the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games.
The winner of the Asian Games men's hockey tournament will also secure direct qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, adding further significance to the knockout stage.