The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) has reached out to the International Hockey Federation (FIH) to request permission to relocate the junior hockey World Cup matches to a neutral venue. This comes after reports surfaced indicating that Pakistan would not be participating in the tournament held in India. In response, Hockey India (HI) expressed surprise, stating they were unaware of Pakistan’s decision to withdraw from the competition.
Pakistan and India were grouped together for the upcoming tournament scheduled to take place in Chennai and Madurai later this year. However, due to strained relations between the two countries, PHF has opted not to send their team for the event. This marks the second instance in 2025 where Pakistan has pulled out of a tournament in India, following their absence from the Asia Cup in Rajgir.
Bholanth Singh, the secretary general of HI, mentioned a recent conversation with PHF officials who had previously confirmed Pakistan’s participation in the Junior World Cup. Singh emphasized the need to host a successful tournament and expressed hope for India to secure the title. He indicated that it is now up to FIH to announce a replacement for Pakistan in the competition.
Rana Mujahid, the secretary general of PHF, emphasized the importance of participating in major events and requested FIH to arrange a neutral venue for their team. Mujahid highlighted that avoiding tournaments in India has negative implications on the development of Pakistani players. He cited concerns about the lack of sportsmanship displayed by Indian athletes even in neutral settings, questioning the feasibility of playing in India under such circumstances.
FIH is currently in the process of seeking a replacement for Pakistan ahead of the tournament’s commencement.