The Pakistan Men’s Hockey team has decided to withdraw from the upcoming 2025 Hockey Asia Cup, citing concerns over safety and security. The tournament is scheduled to be held from August 29 to September 7 in Rajgir, Bihar.
A week ahead of the tournament, the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) announced the decision on Wednesday, August 7. Despite being provided with assured travel clearance and visa facilities by the Indian government, the team is reluctant to travel to India due to ongoing geopolitical tensions.
Following the announcement, head coach Tahir Zaman said, “Our players are training separately, and we are waiting for government permission. Our preparation will be complete, but it’s a government decision which we will follow.”
In the interest of the competition, Hockey India has approached Bangladesh as a potential replacement team for the tournament.
This is not the first time geopolitical tensions have impacted Pakistan’s participation in India. Back in 2016, Pakistan did not take part in the Junior World Cup held in India for similar reasons.
Pakistan’s withdrawal from the Asia Cup also brings further setbacks. It affects their qualification path for the 2026 Men’s Hockey World Cup. In addition, the decision may lead to complications for their participation in the Junior World Cup, which is scheduled later this year in Chennai and Madurai.
However, it is worth noting that the Pakistan Hockey team did travel to Chennai for the 2023 Asia Champions Trophy, where they finished in fifth place.
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