Pakistan Hockey Team Cleared To Travel To India For Asian Champions Trophy

Pakistan's men's hockey team has been officially cleared to travel to India next month to participate in the Men's Asian Champions Trophy, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann announced on Monday. Speaking in Mohali, Mann confirmed that the neighbouring nation will feature in the six-nation continental tournament under the union government's established sports policy, which permits cross-border competition during multilateral engagements despite broader bilateral restrictions.

The tournament, organized under the aegis of the Asian Hockey Federation, is scheduled to run from October 27 to November 5. Matches will be hosted across two venues in Punjab, marking the first time the state has ever hosted the Asian Champions Trophy. India enters the upcoming competition as the defending champion, having secured the title in Chennai in 2023 and subsequently in Hulunbuir, China, in 2024.

Chief Minister Mann detailed the operational layout for the tournament during Monday's announcement, confirming that all league-stage matches will take place at hockey stadiums in Jalandhar. The knockout fixtures, specifically the semi-finals and the tournament final, are scheduled to be hosted at the Mohali stadium on November 5.

The six-nation field comprises India, Pakistan, China, Japan, Malaysia, and Korea. Additionally, tournament organizers have designated Oman and Bangladesh as reserve teams to step in should any of the primary participating nations withdraw. While the competition is formally an annual event, it was not held last year.

Addressing questions regarding security clearances and diplomatic protocol, Mann emphasized that New Delhi maintains a clear structural distinction between bilateral bilateral series and multinational tournaments. India's central sports policy prohibits bilateral sporting engagements with Pakistan following the 2025 Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 people and prompted a brief military offensive by India.

However, adhering to obligations under the Olympic Charter, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports maintains that athletes from Pakistan are permitted to enter India for multilateral events. The government will not block cross-border participation for such fixtures. Despite this exemption, political tensions previously impacted youth competitions, with Pakistan having withdrawn from the Junior Hockey World Cup held in Tamil Nadu last year in the wake of Operation Sindoor.

Hockey India secretary general Bhola Nath Singh, who attended Monday's proceedings alongside state officials, underscored that administrative ties between the two national hockey bodies remain strong. Singh offered public assurance regarding mutual respect on and off the field between players and administrators.

"I want to say this on record that we share very good relations between the hockey federations of India and Pakistan," Singh said. He added that sportsmanship routinely bridges political divides, noting that post-match interactions consistently reflect professional courtesy regardless of the match outcome.

The tournament will commence on October 27 in Jalandhar, concluding with the final match in Mohali on November 5.