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LAUSANNE: The Pakistan hockey team received a formal invitation from the International Hockey Federation (FIH) on Wednesday to participate in the Hockey Pro League, scheduled to take place in December this year.
The invitation followed New Zealand’s decision not to participate in the FIH Hockey Pro League due to financial constraints. Consequently, the FIH has given the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) a deadline of August 12 to inform about its decision to accept or decline the invitation.
Pakistan, the runner-up of the Nations Cup 2025—an event that serves as a qualifier for the Pro League —is set to participate in the prestigious event. The FIH Pro League began in 2019 and is contested annually by the top nine national hockey teams, as ranked.
The team with the highest points at the end of the season is crowned Champion and awarded the Pro League Trophy.
“After New Zealand notified the FIH of their decision not to participate in the next FIH Hockey Pro League Men’s season, FIH has, in accordance with the regulations, extended an invitation to the Nations Cup runners-up, namely Pakistan, to join the 2025-26 Pro League edition,” the official statement read.
Earlier, it was reported that Hockey New Zealand has officially withdrawn from the League, citing financial difficulties as the primary reason.
The FIH had reportedly given New Zealand a deadline of July 21 to confirm their participation, but the Kiwis opted out before the cutoff date, informing the federation that budget cuts for the ongoing Olympic cycle had forced them to make tough calls.
This isn’t the first financial blow for New Zealand hockey; their women’s team had also been withdrawn from the Pro League earlier for similar reasons.
READ: Pakistan likely to get Pro League spot after New Zealand pullout
