Pakistan Withdraws from Men’s Asia Cup 2025 in India

The Pakistan hockey team has formally pulled out of the forthcoming Men’s Asia Cup 2025, which will be hosted in Rajgir, India, from August 27 to September 7. According to an official from Hockey India, the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) cited security concerns as the reason for this decision.

The official, in a statement to an Indian newspaper, verified that the Indian government was prepared to grant visas to the Pakistani team. However, the PHF has chosen not to send its team to India, mentioning apprehensions about their safety.

The PHF communicated its decision to the Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) via a letter dispatched on Wednesday, as per the official. The message specified security issues as the main reason for the withdrawal from the competition.

“Considering Pakistan’s choice, we have now extended an invitation to Bangladesh to take part in the Asia Cup,” the Hockey India official added.

The official further noted that visa requests for the Pakistan team had been submitted towards the end of July, thereby suggesting a contradiction in the PHF’s timeline for withdrawal.

There is also ambiguity concerning Pakistan’s involvement in the Junior Hockey World Cup, also scheduled to be held in India during November and December, with the participation of Pakistan’s junior team in doubt.

This determination corresponds with a wider policy recently put in place by the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB), which, in July, enforced a comprehensive restriction on all national sports federations from participating in events held in India without previous discussion and consent.

“Considering the existing security concerns, the PSB Board, during its 34th meeting on July 23, 2025, resolved that no National Sports Federation (NSF) will commit to participating in any sporting event in India without first consulting the Pakistan Sports Board,” the notification detailed.

Amid increasing political tensions between the two nations, the Pakistani government also decided against dispatching its hockey team to India, pointing to significant safety worries for the players.