The International Hockey Federation (FIH) has confirmed that the Pakistan Men’s Junior National Hockey Team will not participate in the upcoming 2025 Men’s FIH Hockey Junior World Cup scheduled to be held in India from 28 November to 28 December.
Pakistan had originally qualified for the tournament, which is being hosted in the Indian cities of Chennai and Madurai.In its statement, the FIH noted that the Pakistan Hockey Federation had officially informed FIH of its decision to withdraw. FIH added that it would soon announce a replacement team to take Pakistan’s slot in the event.
The decision comes amid long-standing tensions between India and Pakistan. According to reports, the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) cited current diplomatic and sporting frictions and insisted on playing at a neutral venue rather than on Indian soilMeanwhile, Hockey India (HI), the host nation’s governing body, said it was unaware of Pakistan’s withdrawal until the announcement from FIH. HI claimed its officials had last spoken with PHF when Pakistani participation was still expected. players, giving young athletes a global platform to compete. The host nation India was placed in the same group as Pakistan, Chile and Switzerland. With Pakistan’s exit, the group composition and schedule may see adjustments once the replacement team is announced.
For Pakistan, this marks another international event they will miss on Indian soil, following their absence earlier this year from the Asia Cup. The withdrawal raises questions about how political and diplomatic issues can impact sport and athlete development.
The FIH and tournament hosts have stressed that preparations will continue unaffected. The replacement team will help maintain the full complement of participants and ensure the integrity of the competition. For India and other participating countries, the focus returns to training and readiness for the competition.
In summary, while the 2025 Men’s FIH Hockey Junior World Cup remains on schedule for later this year in India, one of the traditionally strong teams, Pakistan, will not be part of the field. The FIH is set to fill the slot, and all eyes will now be on how the tournament proceeds amid these changed circumstances.
