Pakistan have withdrawn from the upcoming Junior Hockey World Cup scheduled to take place in India between November and December 2025, the International Hockey Federation (FIH) confirmed on Friday. The tournament, to be held in Chennai and Madurai, now awaits a replacement team following Pakistan’s pullout amid strained sporting relations between the two nations after the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack and India’s subsequent Operation Sindoor.
This is Pakistan’s second withdrawal from a hockey event in India this year, following their exit from the men’s Asia Cup in Rajgir, Bihar, held from August 29 to September 7.
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Pakistan were initially drawn in Group B alongside India, Chile, and Switzerland for the event scheduled from November 28 to December 28.
The Indian government recently enforced a policy restricting bilateral sporting engagements with Pakistan while allowing participation in multi-nation competitions.
In an official statement to PTI, the FIH said, “We can confirm that the Pakistan Hockey Federation has notified us that its team, which had qualified for the FIH Hockey Men’s Junior World Cup Tamil Nadu 2025, will not participate.”
