Pakistan is out of the Men's Asian Hockey Champions Trophy 2026. The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) has declined to send its national team to India over security concerns, and Bangladesh is set to replace Pakistan in the six-team tournament, multiple outlets reported on Thursday, October 8. The Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) is expected to formally announce the change — and unveil a revised draw — on Friday.
Pakistan out of Asian Hockey Champions Trophy: what we know
According to sources cited by ARY News on Thursday, Bangladesh have accepted an invitation from the AHF to step into the six-team field after Pakistan told the continental body it was unwilling to travel to India. Geo News reported from Lahore that the AHF is expected to formally announce the decision on Friday, when the revised tournament draw is also likely to be unveiled. The Daily Pakistan reported that the Bangladesh Hockey Federation has confirmed its participation. Bangladesh had originally been kept among the reserve sides — alongside Oman — precisely for this scenario.
Pakistan's national field hockey team in action (file photo). Photo: Michelangelo-36, Wikimedia Commons (public domain).
Why Pakistan withdrew: the neutral-venue request and Hockey India's no
The PHF had approached the AHF seeking either a shift of the entire tournament to a neutral country or, failing that, Pakistan's fixtures at a neutral venue, citing the prevailing circumstances between the two countries. Hockey India rejected the proposal outright, insisting the competition would stay in India on the original schedule and venues. After that rejection, the PHF informed the AHF it was not prepared to send the national team under the existing arrangements.
PHF president Mohyuddin Ahmad Wani said the call was taken "in view of the sensitive bilateral situation and security concerns between the two countries," with the safety and dignity of the players and officials the federation's priority. Wani added that Pakistan remained committed to the Asian Champions Trophy and to hockey's development, that the team was ready to face all FIH member nations including India, and stressed the importance of keeping sport separate from politics.
A familiar freeze: from the Junior World Cup to Jalandhar
This is not a one-off. Pakistan also withdrew from the Junior World Cup hockey tournament in Tamil Nadu last year, citing heightened tensions between the two countries. The two nations have not played a bilateral hockey series since 2008, and India's most recent series on Pakistani soil came back in 2006.
The irony is that as recently as Wednesday, Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann said Pakistan was expected to take part, noting India's policy of allowing neighbours into multinational events even while bilateral series stay restricted: "There is no problem in multinational tournaments. Maybe individual series between India and Pakistan cannot take place." A day later, the PHF's decision made that assurance moot.
The Indian field hockey contingent (file photo). Photo: Government of Odisha, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0).
The tournament without Pakistan
The 2026 Men's Asian Hockey Champions Trophy runs October 27 to November 5. League-stage matches and the opening ceremony are set for the Olympian Surjit Singh Hockey Stadium in Jalandhar (October 27-November 2), with the semi-finals on November 4 and the final on November 5 at the Olympian Balbir Singh Senior International Hockey Stadium in Mohali. India, Japan, China, Malaysia, South Korea and now Bangladesh make up the six-team field.
India enter as defending champions, having won the 2023 edition in Chennai and retained the crown in Hulunbuir, China, in 2024. The marquee India-Pakistan clash that had been pencilled in for November 1 in Jalandhar will not happen — a fixture fans on both sides of the border had circled.
Why it matters
Field hockey is not just any sport in this rivalry — it is the sport both nations once ruled, with Pakistan's three Olympic golds and India's own storied history. Each withdrawal deepens a sporting freeze that now stretches across bilateral series, junior events and continental championships alike. For Bangladesh, it is an unexpected door into elite Asian competition against the continent's best. For the AHF, Friday's announcement will formalise a six-team field that keeps the tournament intact but poorer for the absence of one of Asia's traditional powers.
What happens next
The AHF's formal announcement, expected Friday, will confirm Bangladesh's place and release the revised draw and fixtures. Attention then turns to whether Pakistan's stance hardens into a standing policy for India-hosted events — and whether cricket, the bigger commercial prize, follows the same script in future tournaments. For more on the India-Pakistan sporting calendar, see our ICC World Cup 2027 schedule coverage.
The Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium in New Delhi (file photo). Photo: Sanket Oswal, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Key Takeaways
- Pakistan has withdrawn from the Men's Asian Hockey Champions Trophy 2026 in India over security concerns.
- Bangladesh is set to replace Pakistan; the AHF is expected to confirm the change and a revised draw on Friday.
- The PHF asked for a neutral venue; Hockey India rejected the request, keeping the October 27-November 5 schedule in Jalandhar and Mohali.
- PHF president Wani cited the sensitive bilateral situation; player safety and dignity were the priority.
- India enter as defending champions; the scheduled November 1 India-Pakistan clash in Jalandhar is off.
- Pakistan also skipped the Junior World Cup in Tamil Nadu last year amid heightened tensions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Pakistan not playing in the Asian Hockey Champions Trophy 2026?
The Pakistan Hockey Federation declined to send its team to India, citing the sensitive bilateral situation and security concerns. The PHF had asked for the tournament — or at least Pakistan's matches — to be moved to a neutral venue, but Hockey India rejected the request and kept the original schedule and venues.
Who replaces Pakistan in the tournament?
Bangladesh. The Asian Hockey Federation invited Bangladesh — originally named as a reserve side along with Oman — and Bangladesh has accepted, according to multiple Pakistani and Indian outlets. The AHF is expected to formally announce the change and unveil the revised draw on Friday, October 9.
When and where is the Asian Hockey Champions Trophy 2026?
The tournament runs October 27 to November 5, 2026. League matches and the opening ceremony are at the Olympian Surjit Singh Hockey Stadium in Jalandhar (October 27-November 2); the semi-finals (November 4) and final (November 5) are at the Olympian Balbir Singh Senior International Hockey Stadium in Mohali.
Which teams are playing now?
The six-team field is India, Japan, China, Malaysia, South Korea and Bangladesh. India are the defending champions, having won the 2023 edition in Chennai and retained the title in 2024 in Hulunbuir, China.
What did the PHF president say about the withdrawal?
PHF president Mohyuddin Ahmad Wani said the decision reflected the sensitive bilateral situation and security concerns, with the safety and dignity of players and officials the priority. He added Pakistan remains committed to the competition and ready to play all FIH members including India, stressing sport should stay separate from politics.
Have Pakistan and India clashed over sports venues before?
Yes. Pakistan also withdrew from the Junior World Cup hockey event in Tamil Nadu last year over heightened tensions. The two nations have not played a bilateral hockey series since 2008. As recently as Wednesday, Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann had said Pakistan was expected to participate in the Champions Trophy.
Sources
- Geo News — Bangladesh 'likely' to replace Pakistan in India-hosted Asian Hockey Champions Trophy
- ARY News — Pakistan to be replaced in Asian Champions Trophy: sources
- Pakistan Today — Bangladesh likely to replace Pakistan in Asian Hockey Champions Trophy
- ABP Live — Pakistan Out, Bangladesh In: Major Shake-Up In India-Hosted Champions Trophy
- Daily Pakistan — Bangladesh replaces Pakistan in Asian Hockey Champions Trophy
By GlobalDeskNews Staff