Pakistan’s return in top level international hockey is hanging in balance as financial obstacles have threatened the team participation in the 2025–26 FIH Pro League. The three-time Olympic champion was recently invited to join the upcoming season of the Pro League after New Zealand, who won the 2024–25 FIH Nations Cups and earned direct qualifications, taking out the program. The International Hockey Federation (FIH) on Wednesday issued a formal invitation, confirming its participation on the August 12 deadline. The occasion is once a symbol of a possible return to the major Pakistan side, which has missed the last three Olympic Games and the World Cup. The Pro League, scheduled between December 2025 and June 2026, features top level teams like India, Australia, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Argentina, England and Spain. However, Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) is facing a major obstacle – a serious financial crunch. The Cash-Straped Federation has approached the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB), requesting the release of 700 million Pakistani rupees (about 2.5 million USD) to fund the team’s complete campaign. In an annual meeting recently, the state-driven PSB clarified that there is a lack of funds to support Pakistan’s participation in the current Pro League. The board has also asked PHF to present a detailed financial records for the funds received from the previous year, and it refused to cover the daily and travel allowances for the players and officials participating in the Nations Cup.
Pakistan lost to New Zealand in the final of the Nations Cup, but after New Zealand returned, his second -place Finnish gave him a way for the Pro League. A PSB official said, “But will it be possible whether it would be possible because PSB will send a summary to the Prime Minister for allocation of special funds to allow PSB PHF to send the team to the Pro League.” He further said that the Prime Minister, who is the patron-in-chief of the PHF, can consider a change in the leadership of the federation before approved a particular money. “Due to PHF’s failure, there is a failure to update the PSB due to the failure of PHF, how he spent him the money issued from last year.” The Olympic gold medalist Rashidul Hasan, who is campaigning against PHF, said, “Unfortunately, officials working in Federation cases for the past several years failed to have a clean image.”
Voting
Should Pakistan Hockey Federation get special money to participate in the Pro League?
This is not the first time financial issues have cost Pakistan on the global platform. During the inauguration Pro League season, PHF confirmed participation but later withdrawn due to lack of funds. This resulted in a fine of € 170,000 imposed by FIH. Historically, Pakistan remains the most successful hockey team in the history of the Asian Games with eight gold medals. He also remains the only Asian side to win the prestigious Champions Trophy with the upcoming Triumph in 1978, 1980 and 1994.
