Bangladesh finish sixth at Asian Champions Trophy after 3–1 loss to China in 5th-place playoff

Bangladesh's campaign at the Hero Asian Champions Trophy 2026 ended on a disappointing note as they lost 3–1 to China in the fifth/sixth-place classification match at the Olympian Balbir Singh Senior International Hockey Stadium in Mohali on 4 November, finishing sixth in the six-team event.

The men in red and green conceded three goals in the first quarter and never recovered from the early setback, according to reports. A solitary goal later in the match proved to be no more than a consolation as China sealed the victory and fifth place.

Across the tournament, Bangladesh conceded 29 goals, underscoring the gulf in quality they faced. The campaign began with a 13–0 defeat to hosts India, followed by a 1–0 loss to Japan, a 6–1 defeat to Malaysia and a 5–0 loss to South Korea.

The one bright spot came on 2 November in Jalandhar, when Bangladesh held China to a 1–1 draw — their only point of the tournament. Captain Ashraful Islam equalised from a penalty stroke in the 38th minute after Chen Benhai had given China the lead from a penalty corner in the second minute.

Bangladesh had earned their place in the tournament in place of Pakistan. The final and the bronze-medal match are scheduled for 5 November, with semifinals featuring India against South Korea and Japan against Malaysia, as reported in the media.

Source: Songbad Songjog, Jatiya Arthoniti, BNews24.