Pakistan Withdraws from Junior Hockey World Cup in India

The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) has declared its men’s team will not participate in the Junior Hockey World Cup, scheduled in India from November 28 to December 10.

PHF Secretary Rana Mujahid stated that the International Hockey Federation (FIH) has been formally notified of Pakistan’s decision due to the current environment. He suggested an alternative of playing matches at a neutral location, emphasizing that traveling to India is not suitable given the present circumstances.

This action follows Pakistan’s earlier withdrawal from the Asia Cup 2025, which took place from August 29 to September 7 in Bihar. The host nation won that tournament, defeating South Korea 4-1 in the final.

The dispute arose when India prevented its team from crossing the border for the Champions Trophy, a move Pakistan criticized as politicizing sports. A “fusion formula” was later agreed upon, enabling India to participate in the tournament at a neutral venue instead of in Pakistan.

Pakistan was also compelled to adopt a hybrid model for hosting the ACC Men’s Asia Cup 2023, with India’s matches and the final being held in Sri Lanka. However, Pakistan did compete in India during the 2023 ICC World Cup.