Support for Hockey New Generation: Pakistan Hockey Begins Its Journey Back to Glory

According to Mr. Mohyuddin Ahmad Wani, President of the Pakistan Hockey Federation, a major incentive package to revive and develop Pakistan’s national sport includes Rs. 28 million in prize money for the National Senior, Junior, and Under-15 Hockey Championships, to be held in January 2027.

The championships will feature both boys’ and girls’ competitions. The PHF will organize them in collaboration with provincial sports boards and departments, marking a significant effort to broaden Pakistan's hockey talent pool.

Under the new competition structure, up to four teams from each province will be eligible to participate, along with two teams each from Azad Jammu & Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, as well as departmental teams. The expanded format is intended to create a much larger and more competitive national talent pool.

The PHF leadership described the Rs. 28 million prize funds as a meaningful incentive for players to compete with greater intensity, perform at their best, and pursue excellence at every level.

Emphasis will be placed on women’s hockey. Girls’ teams will be included wherever they are ready to compete, giving young female athletes more opportunities to enter the formal competitive pathway and represent their regions at the national level.

The federation’s new structure is built around a clear developmental progression from Under-15 to Junior and ultimately to Senior hockey, enabling promising players to advance through successive levels of competition rather than enter the national system without adequate exposure.

Recalling Pakistan’s glorious hockey legacy, Prof. Dr. Muhammad Mukhtar, Rector of the University of Southern Punjab, Multan, observed that reviving the national game must begin at the grassroots. Prof. Dr. Mukhtar recalled the era when Pakistan’s hockey dominated the world stage, and the national team competed with unmatched confidence and skill. He emphasized that returning to those heights requires rebuilding the sport from the ground up by nurturing young talent, strengthening school and regional competitions, providing sustained opportunities for emerging players, and creating a clear pathway to national and international hockey. “If we want to see Pakistan once again lift the World Hockey Championship trophy, we must first invest in young players at the grassroots. The road to international glory begins on the local field,” he remarked.

“More teams. More competition. More opportunities. More rewards.”

The PHF believes that expanding participation at the regional level can help identify talented players from across the country who might otherwise be outside the national hockey system.

The January 2027 championships therefore represent more than a conventional national tournament. They are being positioned as a grassroots-to-national rebuilding program, designed to strengthen regional competition, expand access to hockey, and establish a sustainable pathway to develop the next generation of Pakistani stars.

With substantial financial rewards, broader participation, and dedicated competitions for different age groups and genders, the PHF hopes the initiative will inject fresh energy, ambition, and competitiveness into Pakistani hockey.

The federation's message is clear: Pakistan’s hockey revival will begin not only with the national team but also with young players competing on fields across the country.