Union Minister for Youth Affairs & Sports and Labour & Employment, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya on Monday unveiled the glittering Hockey Men’s Asia Cup 2025 Trophy here, marking the countdown to the tournament’s 12th edition, scheduled to be held from August 29 to September 7 at the Rajgir Hockey Stadium in Bihar.

The Rajgir edition is set to be historic, being the first major international hockey tournament hosted in Bihar, adding to the growing sporting stature of the state.

Also present on the occasion of trophy unveiling on Monday evening were Harbinder Singh - three-time Olympics medalist, Ashok Dhyanchand - bronze medalist at 1972 Olympics, Zafar Iqbal - gold medalist at 1980 Moscow Olympics, as well as officials from the Bihar State Government and Hockey India.

This year’s Asia Cup will also serve as a direct qualifier for the 2026 FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup in the Netherlands and Belgium. The tournament winner will secure an automatic berth, while the teams finishing second to sixth will proceed to next year’s World Cup qualifiers.

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Rini Choudhury/Anjelina Alexander

(Release ID: 2160730)