Pakistan Hockey Team Invited To Join FIH Pro League After New Zealand Withdrawal
New Zealand withdrew from the FIH Hockey Pro League Men's 2025–26 season, prompting the FIH to invite runners-up Pakistan, who must confirm participation by August 12.
Following New Zealand's decision to withdraw from the upcoming FIH Hockey Pro League Men's 2025–26 season—despite having secured victory in the FIH Hockey Nations Cup last month—the International Hockey Federation (FIH) has extended an invitation to the tournament runners-up, Pakistan, in accordance with its regulations.
The Pakistan Hockey Association has been given a deadline of August 12 to confirm whether they will accept or decline the invitation.
The recently concluded 2024–25 FIH Hockey Pro League saw both Dutch national teams—men's and women's—claim the championship titles. The forthcoming season will mark the seventh edition of the league.
India has suspended all bilateral sporting engagements with Pakistan since the 2008 Mumbai attacks, which it attributed to Pakistan-based militants.
Pakistan's last visit to India was for the 2023 Asian Champions Trophy, where they finished fifth out of six competing teams.
Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated significantly in May during a four-day conflict that resulted in 70 fatalities, marking the worst violence between the two nations in decades.
Pakistan had been scheduled to participate in the Asia Cup, set to be hosted in India next month. However, participation is now uncertain as the Pakistan Hockey Federation awaits government clearance to travel.
'After the recent war, the security and safety of our hockey players will be at risk," a source from Pakistan's sports ministry told AFP.
The same source confirmed that Pakistan would also skip the Junior World Cup, scheduled to be held in India this November.
Once a dominant powerhouse in international hockey—with three Olympic gold medals and four World Cup titles—Pakistan has since declined to 15th in the global rankings.
Pakistan's potential absence from the Asia Cup could jeopardize their qualification for the 2026 senior World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by the Netherlands and Belgium. A second government official confirmed the decision to AFP.
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First Published:
July 23, 2025, 19:30 IST
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