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The Pakistan hockey team’s participation in the 2025-26 FIH Pro League is uncertain due to financial issues, needing 700 million rupees from Pakistan Sports Board.
Pakistan Hockey Team (FIH Media)
The Pakistan hockey team’s participation in the 2025-26 FIH Pro League is in jeopardy due to a financial crisis, potentially derailing the three-time Olympic champions’ anticipated comeback on the international stage.
The Pakistan men’s hockey team, which has won the World Cup four times, has been invited to compete in the FIH Pro League 2025-26 after New Zealand, who had earned direct qualification by winning the 2024-25 Nations Cup, decided not to participate in the upcoming season.
The International Hockey Federation (FIH), the game’s governing body, formally extended the invitation to Pakistan on Wednesday and gave them a deadline until August 12 to confirm their participation.
Pakistan, which has failed to qualify for the last three Olympics and the World Cup, has been given an opportunity by the FIH to compete against top-tier teams Argentina, Australia, Belgium, England, Germany, India, Netherlands, and Spain in the competition that will be held from December 2025 to June 2026.
What Happened To Pakistan Hockey?
However, the cash-strapped Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) lacks the funds to send the team to the Pro League. The PHF has requested the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) to release 700 million rupees (around USD 2.5 million) for the entire campaign.
In its recent annual meeting, the state-run PSB made it clear that it doesn’t have the funds to ensure Pakistan’s participation in the Pro League. The PSB has directed the PHF to submit detailed accounts of the funds allocated to them since last year and has refused to release more funds to the national federation to cover daily and travel allowances of players and officials who attended the recent FIH Nations Cup.
Pakistan lost in the final of the FIH Nations Cup to New Zealand, who automatically qualified for the Pro League. However, New Zealand has informed the FIH that they wouldn’t be sending their team, giving second-best Pakistan a chance to compete against the top-tier teams.
An official in the PSB stated that the PSB would send a summary to the Prime Minister for the allocation of special funds to allow the PHF to send the team to the Pro League. However, due to the PHF’s failure to update the PSB on how they spent funds released to them since last year, the Prime Minister, who is the patron-in-chief of the PHF, might opt for a change in the top leadership of the federation before approving special funds of 700 million rupees.
Rasheedul Hassan, an Olympic gold medallist who has launched a campaign against the PHF, said that unfortunately, the officials managing the federation’s affairs for the past years had failed to maintain a clean image.
When the inaugural Pro League was held, the PHF initially confirmed participation but later backed out citing lack of funds, resulting in a fine of 170,000 euros to the FIH.
For the record, Pakistan is the most successful national team in Asian Games history, with eight gold medals (1958, 1962, 1970, 1974, 1978, 1982, 1990, and 2010), the highest number of times a country has become Asian Champion. Pakistan is also the only Asian team to have won the prestigious Champions Trophy thrice (1978, 1980, and 1994).
(With inputs from PTI)
Ritayan Basu, Senior Sub-Editor, Sports at News18.com. Has been covering domestic and and international football for nearly a decade. Has played and covered badminton. Ocassionally writes on cricket content, ha…Read More
Ritayan Basu, Senior Sub-Editor, Sports at News18.com. Has been covering domestic and and international football for nearly a decade. Has played and covered badminton. Ocassionally writes on cricket content, ha… Read More
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Karachi, Pakistan
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