Pakistan have withdrawn from the men’s Asian Champions Trophy 2026 that was scheduled to be held from October 27 to November 5 in Punjab; Bangladesh will replace them in the six-team tournament.
India will now play Malaysia on November 1, the date originally scheduled for the fixture against Pakistan.
On September 16, PHF wrote to the Asian Hockey Federation saying it wanted a neutral venue to ensure the country’s uninterrupted and full participation in the men’s continental tournament, to be held in Punjab’s Mohali and Jalandhar from October 27 to November 5. The tournament begins at the Surjit Singh Hockey Stadium in Jalandhar on October 27 and the final will be held at the Balbir Singh Senior International Hockey Stadium in Mohali on November 5. Last month, Dawn reported that Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) president Mohyuddin Ahmed Wani had said the team’s visit to India for the tournament was subject to government clearance and the federation would follow the government’s instructions.
This is the second instance of Pakistan withdrawing from a sporting event involving India this week.
“The decision has been taken in view of the current sensitive bilateral situation between Pakistan and India and the prevailing security conditions, with the aim of ensuring a safe, dignified and conducive environment for the national players and officials,” Wani said in the statement then, as reported by PTI. This followed Pakistan accusing the tournament of “hypocrisy and bias” and announcing a blanket ban for their tournament even in the future.
the Pakistan’s cricket team had also withdrawn from the World Championship of Legends (WCL) earlier this month, after the Pakistan Cricket Board refused to issue No-Objection Certificates (NOCs) to the side for the tournament being held in the UAE Although not hosted on Indian soil.
