Pakistan’s participation at the 2026 Men’s Asian Champions Trophy is in doubt as it has formally asked the Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) to move the tournament away from India or to play in a neutral venue. The federation cited the current bilateral situation between India and Pakistan and the safety of players and officials as reasons for this.
The six-nation tournament will take place from October 27 to November 5 in Punjab. The league-stage matches are scheduled in Jalandhar, while the knockout matches (including semi-finals and final) will be held in Mohali. India will be the host and the defending champions, with Pakistan, China, Japan, Malaysia, and South Korea also participating.
An India-Pakistan match is currently scheduled for November 1 in Jalandhar. However, the match could be in doubt if Pakistan’s request for a neutral venue is not accepted and the PHF decides not to send its team to India.
Pakistan Cites Security And Bilateral Situation
The Pakistan Hockey Federation has approached the Asian Hockey Federation in relation to the venue arrangement. PHF President Mohyuddin Ahmed Wani said it made its request as a result of the bilateral situation and security issues.
The PHF states that the proposal is made so that Pakistan’s players and officials are safe and placed in a safe atmosphere. The federation also stressed that it does not mean that it is not happy to compete against India.
Pakistan has said that it will still play India and other participating countries. The federation has suggested a neutral-venue arrangement that mixes the hybrid hosting model that has been adopted in other regional sports competitions.
Now the Asian Hockey Federation will have to think about alternative arrangements to the tournament schedule. Any change would be of concern for Pakistan but also for the other teams and host cities.
Hockey India is against Venue Change.
Hockey India has rejected Pakistan’s request to move the tournament or its matches away from India. Hockey India Secretary General and AHF Vice-President Bhola Nath Singh said there would be no change to the venue.
Singh said Pakistan would have to travel to India if it wanted to join the Asian Champions Trophy. Singh also recalled previous instances involving Pakistan and said the organisers were prepared for the possibility of Pakistan withdrawing from the Asian Champions Trophy.
According to Hockey India, Bangladesh and Oman are standby teams that could potentially replace Pakistan if the latter does not participate. This will keep the six-team tournament going, but an India-Pakistan match would then not take place.
India-Pakistan Hockey match in focus
The dispute comes at a time when India and Pakistan’s sporting relations are hurt by larger bilateral tensions. India has consistently differentiated between bilateral sporting commitments and participation in multilateral tournaments, but some of the events have still faced logistical and security concerns.
The Asian Champions Trophy is an international hockey competition organized by the Asian Hockey Federation. With so many countries involved, it is different from a bilateral India-Pakistan series.
The tournament is expected to bring together Asia’s leading hockey teams. India is the defending champion, while Pakistan is one of the most established hockey teams on the continent. Their November 1 match had been one of the most eagerly awaited on the tournament calendar.
Previous Pakistan Withdrawals From Events In India
The latest dispute also comes as Pakistan has recently made some decisions regarding hockey in India. Pakistan previously pulled out of the Men’s Hockey Asia Cup in Rajgir and the FIH Men’s Junior World Cup in Tamil Nadu. Reserve teams filled the voids.
The current situation could thus become another instance of a Pakistan team not participating in a major hockey tournament hosted in India.
The PHF has maintained that it is not in opposition to Indian players. It is only asking for the location of the tournament and safety for its delegation.
AHF Faces Decision Ahead Of Tournament
The Asian Hockey Federation will now have to address the request as preparations for the tournament continue. The decision of whether the competition will be held in Punjab or some other arrangement could determine Pakistan’s participation.
Hockey India has made it clear that tournament venues will stay the same. Pakistan has asked for the entire competition to be moved or its games to be held at a neutral venue.
With the October 27 start date coming up, both hockey federations and the Asian Hockey Federation will remain in discussions. In the absence of such an agreement, Pakistan's participation and the India-Pakistan match on November 1 are in doubt.
