Pakistan Withdraws From Men's Hockey Junior World Cup In India

Pakistan has decided not to take part in the upcoming Junior Hockey World Cup that was scheduled to be held in India from November to December, the International Hockey Federation (FIH) confirmed on Friday.

FIH Confirms Pakistan’s Withdrawal

According to the FIH, Pakistan officially informed them that their team, which had qualified for the FIH Hockey Men’s Junior World Cup Tamil Nadu 2025, will not be participating. The tournament is set to take place from November 28 to December 28 in Chennai and Madurai. The federation added that the name of the replacement team will be announced soon.

Group and Tournament Changes

Pakistan was originally placed in Group B with India, Chile, and Switzerland. Now that Pakistan has withdrawn, the FIH will have to choose a new team to fill their spot in the group. The change adds uncertainty to the schedule and team lineup for the competition.

Tensions Between India and Pakistan

Relations between the two countries have been tense since the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22 and India’s response with Operation Sindoor. Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) secretary Rana Mujahid said that the current political and emotional climate is not suitable for sending players to India. He also referred to the cricket Asia Cup in the UAE, claiming that Indian players avoided handshakes and refused to accept the trophy from Mohsin Naqvi, which he called “shameful.”

Another Tournament Withdrawal

This is the second major hockey tournament Pakistan has pulled out of in 2025. Earlier, the men’s team withdrew from the Asia Cup in August, after which Bangladesh replaced them. Mujahid expressed regret over the situation but maintained that the decision was necessary. “We know it’s a big loss for our junior players, but with so much negativity in India right now, this is the right and wise decision,” he said.