LAHORE, 16 September 2026 (Ghufran): The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) has decided not to send the national hockey team to India for the upcoming Men’s Asian Champions Trophy, scheduled to be held from October 27 to November 5, with league matches in Jalandhar and the semi-finals and final in Mohali. PHF President Mohyuddin Ahmad Wani confirmed the decision, saying it was taken after considering the bilateral relations between Pakistan and India. The announcement came a day after Indian Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had said that the Pakistan hockey team would participate in the tournament and assured his government’s full support. Hockey India Secretary General Bhola Nath Singh had also said that the hockey federations of the two countries maintained good relations. Oman and Bangladesh have been named as reserve teams in case any of the six participating sides withdraws from the competition. India will enter the tournament as defending champions after winning the 2023 edition in Chennai and retaining the title in 2024 in Hulunbuir, China. India’s current sports policy does not permit bilateral sporting engagements with Pakistan amid tensions between the two countries, while the Sports Ministry has maintained that the two nations can compete in multilateral competitions in accordance with the Olympic Charter.