KARACHI: The International Hockey Federation (FIH) on Monday announced the schedule of the Pro League, with the blockbuster clash between arch-rivals Pakistan and India set to be played in England in June next year.
According to the details, the opening round of the nine-team tournament will get underway on December 9, during which the national team will take on the Netherlands and the home side Argentina.
The Green Shirts will then depart for Australia, where they will lock horns with the host nation and Germany between February 10 and 15 in the second round.
In the third round of the Hockey Pro League, scheduled to run from June 13 to 21, Pakistan will take on Spain and the home side Belgium before eventually heading to England for the final round, during which they take on The Three Lions and fierce rivals India between June 23 and 25.
For the unversed, Pakistan were formally invited by the apex body to participate in the ‘League of the Best’ after Hockey New Zealand withdrew from the nine-team tournament despite winning the FIH Nations Cup earlier this year in Malaysia.
The PHF was initially given a deadline of August 12 to confirm its national men’s team’s participation, but the federation sought an extension until August 20 as it was awaiting financial support from the government.
The federation was subsequently issued Rs250m for the event on Wednesday, leading to it confirming its men’s team’s participation the next day.
“The International Hockey Federation (FIH) can confirm that the Pakistan men’s hockey team, nicknamed the Green Shirts, have accepted the invitation to participate in the upcoming 2025-26 season of the FIH Hockey Pro League,” the apex body said in a statement.
Pakistan will join arch-rivals India, alongside Argentina, Australia, Belgium, England, Germany, Netherlands, and Spain in the upcoming seventh edition of the tournament, replacing Ireland, who were relegated after finishing last in the previous season.
Faizan Lakhani is Deputy Editor (Sports) at Geo News.
