Defending champions India will face Pakistan in the first men’s hockey semifinal of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026 on Thursday, October 1. The match will be played at the Gifu Prefectural Green Stadium in Kakamigahara, Japan, with a place in the gold-medal match at stake.India enter the semifinal unbeaten after winning all five of their Pool A matches. The team finished at the top of the group with 49 goals scored and only four conceded. Pakistan finished second in Pool B after Malaysia beat them 5-4 in a close pool-stage match.How Has India Performed in the Asian Games?India completed a perfect Pool A campaign with five wins from five matches. The defending champions defeated Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Japan, South Korea and Bangladesh to reach the knockout stage.India ended their pool campaign with a 10-0 win over Bangladesh on September 28. Captain Harmanpreet Singh scored a hat-trick, while Shilanand Lakra scored twice. The result gave India a goal difference of plus 45 heading into the semifinals.India also recorded a 2-0 win over hosts Japan and an 8-2 victory against South Korea during the pool stage. The team will now look to continue its unbeaten run against Pakistan and reach the final.What Is Pakistan's Route to the Semifinal?Pakistan reached the last four after finishing second in Pool B. Malaysia topped the group after remaining unbeaten, while Pakistan secured the second semifinal spot. Pakistan also produced strong results against China and Oman, winning those matches 3-0 and 7-2 respectively.Sufyan Khan has been one of Pakistan's key players in the tournament. The forward has been particularly effective from penalty corners and is among the leading scorers at the Asian Games. Pakistan will need another strong attacking performance against India.When and Where Will India Face Pakistan?The India-Pakistan semifinal is scheduled for Thursday, October 1, at the Gifu Prefectural Green Stadium in Kakamigahara. The match is scheduled to begin at 1:00 pm IST, according to the Hockey India fixture list.The second men's semifinal will feature Malaysia against South Korea later on Thursday. The winners of the two semifinals will meet in the men's gold-medal match on Saturday, October 3.What Is at Stake Beyond the Gold Medal?The semifinal is not only about reaching the Asian Games final. The men's hockey gold medallist at Aichi-Nagoya 2026 will also earn direct qualification for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games under the FIH qualification system.India are the defending Asian Games champions after winning gold at the Hangzhou Games in 2023. A victory against Pakistan would take them into the gold-medal match and keep their title defence on track.The India-Pakistan hockey rivalry adds further attention to the semifinal. Hockey India said India have not lost to Pakistan since the 2016 South Asian Games final, while the two sides now meet with a place in the Asian Games final at stake.Also Read :India vs Pakistan Hockey World Cup 2026: India Wins 5-3, Enters Round 2
