Muscat: The Men’s Asian Games Qualifier 2026 in hockey has officially been moved from Muscat to Bangkok, in a significant change to the tournament’s hosting arrangements after Oman had earlier been announced as the venue.
The Asian Hockey Federation had initially confirmed Muscat as the host city for the qualifier, with the tournament scheduled to take place from March 28 to April 5, 2026. However, a later update confirmed that Bangkok, Thailand, will now stage the competition from April 2 to April 10, 2026.
The decision marks an important shift for the tournament, particularly for Oman, which had been preparing to host the event and offer its national team the advantage of playing on home soil.
Early promotional materials and initial competition details had all pointed to Muscat as the venue, which explains why some previously circulated visuals and fixtures continued to reference Oman’s capital.
The clearest official explanation for the change came through the Olympic Council of Asia, which stated that the event was transferred from Muscat to Bangkok due to disturbances in the Middle East. This indicates that the decision was linked to regional circumstances rather than any organisational or technical issue related to Oman’s readiness to host the qualifier.
NINE TEAMS
According to the latest update issued by the Asian Hockey Federation, the tournament will feature nine teams divided into two groups. Group A consists of Oman, Hong Kong China, Thailand, Kazakhstan and Indonesia, while Group B includes Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Chinese Taipei and Uzbekistan. The preliminary stage will be played in a single round-robin format, with the leading teams progressing to the knockout rounds.
The qualifier carries added importance as only four teams will secure places at the 2026 Asian Games, raising the level of competition among the participating sides. For Oman, the relocation means losing the valuable backing of home support, but the national team remains firmly in contention for one of the four available qualification spots.
Despite the venue change, Oman’s target remains unchanged to produce a strong campaign in Group A and push for a place among the top four, which would confirm its qualification for the next Asian Games.
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