Pakistan’s participation in Men’s Hockey Asian Champions Trophy 2026 uncertain despite being listed to compete in Punjab
Pakistan are listed among the six teams slated to contest the Men’s Hockey Asian Champions Trophy 2026 in Jalandhar and Mohali from October 27 to November 5, 2026, but their participation remains subject to government clearance. Organisers have named reserve teams in case of a Pakistani withdrawal, while local officials say Pakistan currently remain on the entry list.
The tournament will feature six of Asia’s top hockey sides and is the second edition hosted in India and the first to be held in Punjab. India enter as defending champions and the competition’s most successful team with five titles; Pakistan are described as the second-most successful team with five titles. The event is scheduled to run from October 27 to November 5, 2026.
Bilateral ties between India and Pakistan have been strained since the Pahalgam terror attack in 2025, in which 26 people were killed, and India’s subsequent military response named ‘Operation Sindoor’, which led to a small-scale conflict, according to the reporting. Following those events the Indian government suspended all sporting ties with Pakistan and halted bilateral events across sports, though the Olympic Charter has meant the two countries have continued to meet in multinational competitions. The strained relationship prompted fears that Pakistan could withdraw from the Asian Champions Trophy, as it did during the Junior World Cup in Tamil Nadu last year.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann confirmed Pakistan remain one of the six teams scheduled to compete and commented on the broader policy for multinational events, saying, “There is no problem in multinational tournaments,” Mann said, as quoted by The Hindu. “Maybe individual series (India and Pakistan) cannot take place.”
Pakistan Hockey Federation president Mohyuddin Ahmed Wani said the national side requires government approval before travelling and that the PHF will follow official instructions. “The visit of the Pakistan team will depend on government clearance,” Wani told Dawn. “We will do whatever the government asks us to do.”
According to media reports cited by the organisers, Oman and Bangladesh have been named as reserve teams to replace any withdrawing side. The reporting also states that, as things stand, the Green Shirts are scheduled to travel to India.
The opening ceremony and league-stage matches are due to be held at the Olympian Surjit Singh Hockey Stadium in Jalandhar from October 27 to 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. The India v Pakistan fixture is scheduled for November 1, 2026, in Jalandhar.
Final participation by Pakistan will depend on government clearance; if cleared the team is set to face India on November 1 at the Olympian Surjit Singh Hockey Stadium in Jalandhar, while Oman and Bangladesh remain listed as standby options.