Sports
oi-Gaurav Sharma
Pakistan have asked the Asian Hockey Federation to either move the 2026 Men’s Asian Champions Trophy from India or to arrange for all Pakistan matches to take place at a neutral venue, sparking a new diplomatic row over the event.
The Pakistan Hockey Federation linked the request to the “sensitive bilateral situation and security conditions” between the rivals. The PHF has not indicated withdrawal from the tournament and claims it would be willing to play against India, subject to addressing its own issues around the venue and safety.
Pakistan has asked the Asian Hockey Federation to move the 2026 Men’s Asian Champions Trophy from India or host all its matches at a neutral venue, citing security concerns related to the bilateral situation between the two nations.
PHF president Mohyuddin Ahmed Wani confirmed that the request had been made in the form of a statement. He claimed “a safe, dignified, and conducive environment” was desired “for our national players and officials”.
Pakistan requests neutral venue
“The Pakistan Hockey Federation has formally requested the Asian Hockey Federation to relocate the Men’s Asian Champions Trophy 2026 tournament or shift all of Pakistan’s matches at a neutral venue, in light of the current sensitive bilateral situation and security conditions, between Pakistan and India, so as to provide a safe, dignified, and conducive environment for our national players and officials,” he stated.
Punjab has been named as the host of Asia’s second-tier men’s championship, which takes place between October 27 and November 5, 2026. The Jalandhar venue has been earmarked for the league stage, with the semi-finals and final to take place in Mohali. India-Pakistan are set to meet in Jalandhar on November 1, which coincides with the celebrations of Punjab Day there.
The Men’s Asian Champions Trophy is set to feature a field of six teams, with host nation India set to enter as defending champions, making it an important contest on the continental fixtures.
PHF claims it wishes to play India
Interestingly, Pakistan has not ruled out playing India, but has tried to separate the possibility of itself participating in the event (and hence the potential for confronting India) from playing its neighbour at a potentially unsatisfactory venue.
The PHF president claims “Pakistan remains fully committed to the Asian Champions Trophy and the global promotion of hockey. We are prepared to play against all FIH member nations, including India, and stand firmly by the principle of keeping sports separate from politics.”
Wani claimed Pakistan hoped that the AHF “will favourably consider” its “proposal of arranging all Pakistan’s matches at a neutral venue, thereby making sure about the uninterrupted and full participation of Pakistan in the said prestigious championship”.
The hosts are likely to have difficulty accommodating the request. Organising the Asian Champions Trophy already poses significant logistical challenges for the Punjab association, with the Jalandhar stadium hosting four fixtures as part of its hosting obligations.
The PHF must take responsibility for its own security arrangements, as well as for the safety of its citizens who are bound to travel to the event. This raises questions around whether any matches between Pakistan and its southern neighbour could continue to take place in Jalandhar, which has already hosted a fixture between the sides.
It would have far greater implications if the entire championship were to be shifted. There would be difficult logistical implications for the scheduling of any other matches which might feature Pakistan. In addition, any neutral venue arrangement would need to take into account factors related to the running of an international sporting event, such as broadcasting and ticket sales.
The other option would be to allow the rest of the event to take place in the Punjab but to make special arrangements for Pakistan’s participation. This would require the AHF to ensure the integrity of their own tournament, taking into consideration rest days for teams, as well as the fact that certain matches are not of particular interest to particular nations. The organisation would also have to decide what to do about the rest of the matches that Pakistan would want to play, which may not be possible if it were to be moved to another venue.
Why matters for India-Pakistan hockey
Hockey matches featuring both sides always receive significant public attention, despite both sides having weakened as powers in the sport over the past decade. Its history and high viewership makes the rivalry between the sides both popular and difficult to handle diplomatically during events.
Punjab’s role at the centre of this development makes the location of the 2026 tournament particularly significant. Jalandhar and the region as a whole have considerable historical and cultural ties with hockey, producing players and maintaining a strong culture around the sport via its schools, academies and clubs.
Pakistan’s involvement poses difficulty for the AHF and is an issue which should have been anticipated when confirming that Punjab would host the tournament. It will have to balance Pakistan’s stated security concerns with India’s hosting duties, as well as making practical organisational considerations.
This is not the first occasion on which Pakistan had withdrawn from an India-hosted hockey championship, with the PHF pulling out of the FIH Men’s Junior World Cup at Chennai and Madurai in 2025. This was later replaced as a member nation, with the hosts joining the tournament in place of Pakistan, although Oman was also added as an additional participating nation.
The recent request from the PHF, interestingly, allows room for negotiations to take place. They have claimed that they would like to participate in the event and have not voiced their opposition to facing off against the hosts of the event (at least in a way that is visible to the wider sport). The AHF could therefore consider its own situation, while also considering how any neutral-venue arrangements for the Pakistan matches would affect the overall setup of the event.
Until a formal response from the Asian Hockey Federation, the Men’s Asian Champions Trophy in 2026 will take place as planned in the Punjab. If the body were to leave the tournament untouched, it would continue to feature all six teams with no changes to the host cities. Alternatively, it is possible that the arrangement would be made for all Pakistan matches to be removed from the original tournament and instead take place separately, although such a move would limit opportunities for wider interest (not least in view of Pakistan’s stated interest in facing off against the hosts). The continental organisation may choose another alternative – while one which does not take into account Pakistan’s stated needs, yet allows the tournament to continue while not limiting the interests of any particular nation or the body itself.
