Pakistan has withdrawn from the Asian Champions Trophy hockey tournament, set to be held in Jalandhar-Mohali from October 27 to November 5, 2026, citing security concerns, with Bangladesh named as its replacement for the tournament scheduled to begin later this month.
“Pakistan did not get clearance from their government to come to India,” Bhola Nath Singh, Hockey India secretary general was quoted as saying by Sportstar.
The withdrawal marks the second time a Pakistan hockey team has pulled out of a tournament hosted by India. Last year, Pakistan’s junior men’s team withdrew from the Junior World Cup in India and was replaced by Oman.
The decision follows the Pakistan Hockey Federation’s (PHF) request last month to move the competition, or at least ‘s matches, to a neutral venue. The federation had sought assurances that the team could participate fully and without interruption in the men’s Asian Champions Trophy.
PHF president Mohyuddin Ahmed Wani made the request in a statement, calling for the entire tournament or all of Pakistan’s matches to be shifted to a neutral venue. However, Pakistan’s participation in the Indian-hosted competition has now been ruled out after the team failed to receive the necessary government clearance.
The development comes against the backdrop of strained relations between the two countries following the Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 people. India launched a brief military offensive against Pakistan last year in response to the attack.
India’s central sports policy prohibits bilateral sporting engagements with Pakistan. However, the government has maintained a distinction between bilateral contests and multilateral competitions, allowing athletes from both countries to compete in international events held in either country.
Adhering to the Olympic Charter, the Sports Ministry has stated that India would not prevent Pakistani athletes from participating in multilateral sporting events hosted on Indian soil. The position allows competitors from the two countries to face each other at international tournaments, even as bilateral sporting ties remain restricted.