Pakistan’s visit to India for Asian Champions Trophy subject to government clearance, says PHF chief Wani

Pakistan's visit to India for Asian Champions Trophy subject to administration clearance, states PHF chief Wani.

Key points

• Kashif Abbasi Published September 14, 2026 Updated September 14, 2026 08: 36pm.
• Mann remarked the proposed India-Pakistan match on Nov 1 in Jalandhar would be one of the major attractions of the tournament and would coincide with Punjab Day.
• The tournament will open in Jalandhar on Oct 27, with the final scheduled to be played in Mohali on Nov 5.
• The tournament is scheduled to feature hosts India, Pakistan, China, Japan, Malaysia and South Korea.
• Pakistan, nevertheless, withdrew from last year's Junior World Cup in Tamil Nadu, citing heightened tensions between the two countries in May last year.

Kashif Abbasi Published September 14, 2026 Updated September 14, 2026 08: 36pm. Join our Whatsapp Channel. Add Dawn as a trusted source.

After Indian Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann asserted that Pakistan would participate in the event, pakistan's proposed tour to India for next month's Asian Champions Trophy hockey tournament is subject to administration clearance, the president of the country's hockey federation Mohyuddin Ahmed Wani stated on Monday.

Wani, who is additionally federal secretary of the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination, informed Dawn that the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) would abide by the government's decision on the national team's participation.

"The visit of the Pakistan team will depend on administration clearance. We will do whatever the administration asks us to do, " Wani stated, adding that Mann's statement had no bearing on the PHF's position.

Mann, according to a Press Trust of India (PTI) report, remarked Pakistan would be among the six teams competing in the Asian Champions Trophy, scheduled to be held from Oct 27 to Nov 5.

"There is no difficulty in multi-national tournaments. Maybe individual series cannot take place, " Mann remarked at an event in Mohali when asked concerning Pakistan's participation and whether the requisite clearances had been obtained.

In practice, the tournament is scheduled to feature hosts India, Pakistan, China, Japan, Malaysia and South Korea.

While the semi-finals and final are scheduled to be held in Mohali, the league matches will be played in Jalandhar.

India's sports policy bars bilateral sporting engagements with Pakistan against the backdrop of tensions between the two countries, but the Sports Ministry has maintained that the two sides can compete against each other in multi-lateral events in line with the Olympic Charter.

"India and Pakistan may have their rivalries on the hockey field, but sport has its own language, " PTI quoted Mann as saying.

Hockey India secretary general Bhola Nath Singh. This person was additionally present at Monday's event, described relations between the hockey federations of the two countries as "excellent".

In practice, the Asian Champions Trophy is being organised under the aegis of the Asian Hockey Federation.

While India are the defending champions after winning the 2023 edition in Chennai – in which Pakistan participated – and the 2024 tournament in Hulunbuir, China, it was not held last year.

For context, the tournament will open in Jalandhar on Oct 27, with the final scheduled to be played in Mohali on Nov 5.

Kashif Ali Abbasi is an Islamabad-based reporter for Dawn with 17 years of experience in journalism. He covers sports, the education sector, and civic problems. He can be discovered on X at @AbbasiKashif833.

Taken together, the developments around pakistan's visit to India for Asian Champions Trophy subject to government clearance, point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.