 "Pakistan team will not tour India, withdraw from World Cup – News-Patiala Punjabi")
The ongoing tension in India-Pakistan relations is affecting sports. From conflicts on the cricket field, such as not shaking hands to not handing out trophies, its impact is being seen in hockey as well. Pakistan has withdrawn from the FIH Junior Hockey World Cup 2025 to be held in India this year. The Pakistan team will no longer travel to India for the November-December 2025 tournament. The tournament will run from November 28 to December 10, and the entire World Cup will be held in Chennai and Madurai, Tamil Nadu.
Pakistan out, another team will enter
According to news agency News-Patiala, the International Hockey Federation issued a statement on Friday, October 24, announcing Pakistan’s withdrawal from the tournament. According to an FIH press release, Pakistan Hockey Federation informed them that they will not participate in the tournament and are withdrawing from the tournament despite qualifying.
In the 24-team Junior World Cup, Pakistan was placed in Group B with India, which also includes Chile and Switzerland. However, the situation has changed with the withdrawal of Pakistan. The FIH has said that a replacement squad will be announced soon.
However, Hockey India has denied any knowledge of the matter. A News-Patiala report quoted Hockey India Secretary General Bholanath Singh as saying that he has not yet been informed by the FIH about Pakistan’s withdrawal from the tournament. Bholanath Singh further revealed that he had spoken to the Pakistan Federation officials a month and a half ago, and they had assured him of participation. Singh made it clear that his responsibility is to organize the tournament and make the Indian team a champion, and that is his focus.
Meanwhile, officials of Pakistan’s federation, PHF, said they want to participate in the tournament but are not ready to travel to India due to ongoing tensions between the two countries. The report quoted a PHF official as saying that, like cricket, they were ready to play their matches at neutral venues for this tournament, but the PHF refused.