Pakistan will not compete in this year’s FIH Hockey Junior World Cup in India, with Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) president Tariq Hussain Bugti confirming the withdrawal on Tuesday. The tournament, scheduled for November 28 to December 10 in Chennai and Madurai, will now go ahead without one of hockey’s most historic nations.
PHF officials cited escalating political tensions with India as the reason behind the decision, which follows a similar boycott of the ongoing Asia Cup in Rajgir. The federation said there was no feasible way to secure approval for the team’s travel, with the final decision ultimately resting with Pakistan’s government.
“We can’t risk sending our players across the border in the current situation,” Bugti told reporters in Lahore. “It’s disappointing, but we’ve formally informed the International Hockey Federation and will focus on securing senior World Cup qualification through other routes.”
A Blow to Hockey Revival Efforts
Pakistan, the winner of the inaugural Junior World Cup in 1979, was drawn in Group B alongside hosts India, Chile, and Switzerland. India had raised no objections to Pakistan’s participation, as its policy allows sporting encounters in multination events, but Islamabad has opted for caution.
This marks only the third time Pakistan has missed the Junior World Cup: they sat out the 2016 edition in Lucknow for similar reasons and failed to qualify in 2001. For a nation with a rich hockey legacy but dwindling global standing, this absence adds another setback in its efforts to re-establish itself among the sport’s elite.
Looking Ahead
The PHF says it remains optimistic about competing on the international stage, pinning hopes on upcoming FIH Pro League fixtures to keep the national program alive. But back-to-back withdrawals from high-profile events in India underline how geopolitical strains continue to derail opportunities for Pakistani athletes, limiting exposure for a new generation of players who rarely get to test themselves at the highest level.
