India face South Korea in Jalandhar on Monday night in their final league match of the men’s Asian Champions Trophy 2026. The India vs South Korea match starts at 7 pm IST at the Olympian Surjit Singh Hockey Stadium. India have already reached the semi-finals, and a draw would be enough to secure first place in the league standings. South Korea have also reached the semi-finals, along with Malaysia and Japan.
India come into the India vs South Korea game with four wins from four matches. They beat Malaysia 4-2 on Sunday, with captain Harmanpreet Singh scoring a hat-trick and Sukhjeet Singh adding the fourth goal. Harmanpreet scored in the 3rd, 33rd and 58th minutes, with two goals from penalty corners and one from a penalty stroke. Sukhjeet scored in the 43rd minute. Malaysia replied through Akhimullah Anuar in the 25th minute and Shello Silverius in the 60th minute.
The win over Malaysia kept India as the only unbeaten team in the tournament. It also confirmed their place in the semi-finals before the last league round. India opened the tournament with a 13-0 win over Bangladesh and then beat China 5-2. Those results, plus the wins over Japan and Malaysia, gave India a clear lead at the top of the table going into Monday night.
South Korea arrive in Jalandhar as a side that knows how to reach the knockouts in Asian hockey. They finished fourth at the Asian Games, and they have done enough in Jalandhar to join the semi-final field. A win for South Korea in the India vs South Korea match on Monday would change the order at the top of the table and give them momentum going into the semi-finals in Mohali.
What India need from the India vs South Korea match
India need only a draw from the India vs South Korea match to finish first in the league standings. First place matters because it shapes the semi-final draw, but head coach Craig Fulton will also want a performance that keeps the side sharp. A flat display on Monday could carry into the knockouts, while a strong win would send India into Mohali with four straight wins behind them and a fifth to add.
Harmanpreet’s form is a central part of India’s game. His hat-trick against Malaysia took his tournament tally higher and showed his value from penalty corners and from the penalty spot. India will look to him again in the India vs South Korea match, both for goals and for leadership at the back. Sukhjeet, who scored against Malaysia, has also been a regular scorer in the tournament.
Fulton has kept the core of the Asian Games gold medal winning squad together for this tournament. Goalkeeper Krishan Bahadur Thakur returned to the side, while young defender Amandeep Lakra and midfielder Aditya Arjun Lalage have had chances to press their claims. Former captain Manpreet Singh missed the tournament with a calf injury, which meant others had to take on more responsibility in midfield.
How to watch India vs South Korea in Jalandhar
The India vs South Korea match will be shown live on Star Sports in India, with live streaming on JioHotstar. The league stage of the tournament has been played in Jalandhar from 27 October to 2 November. After Monday, the action moves to Mohali, where the Olympian Balbir Singh Senior International Hockey Stadium will host the semi-finals on 4 November and the bronze medal and gold medal matches on 5 November.
India are the defending champions in this event and the most successful team in its history, with five titles before this edition. They are also the reigning Asian Games champions, having retained their gold medal in 2026. That record makes them favourites for the India vs South Korea match on Monday night, but South Korea have reached the semi-finals on merit and will test the hosts.
The India vs South Korea game is the last league match for both sides. India will want to finish the league stage unbeaten, secure first place, and head to Mohali with confidence intact. South Korea will want a result that lifts them in the standings and gives them belief before the semi-finals. The match starts at 7 pm IST in Jalandhar.