India vs Pakistan Hockey: Arch-rivals to clash in 2025-26 FIH Pro League

One of world sport’s fiercest rivalries is set to return to the international hockey stage. Pakistan has confirmed its participation in the 2025-26 season of the FIH Pro League, paving the way for two high-voltage matches against India. The International Hockey Federation (FIH) announced on Thursday that Pakistan’s men’s team has accepted an invitation to join the elite league, ensuring the subcontinent’s biggest clash will headline the upcoming season.

 

While the exact venues for the India-Pakistan fixtures remain undecided, the anticipation has already begun. In the current 2024-25 season, India played eight home matches in Bhubaneswar, with away fixtures spread across Amsterdam and Antwerp. Fans will now wait to see if the traditional rivals lock horns in India, Pakistan, or at a neutral venue.

 

 

Notably, Pakistan declined to participate in the ongoing Asia Cup Hockey in India due to security concerns.

 

Check India vs China hockey live score in Asia Cup 2025 here

 

Pakistan’s Return to the Elite

 

Pakistan’s entry comes as a result of the promotion-relegation cycle. The team reached the final of the FIH Nations Cup earlier this year in Malaysia but lost to New Zealand. When the Black Sticks declined their invitation to the Pro League, the runners-up Pakistan were next in line. The FIH confirmed their participation, marking a long-awaited comeback to top-tier international competition.

 

“Great to see Pakistan back in elite competition. This is a truly impactful milestone for world hockey,” FIH President Tayyab Ikram said. “Their return marks not only the comeback of a team with such a rich and storied history, but also an exciting boost to the visibility and reach of the FIH Hockey Pro League.”

 

The Numbers Game

 

The 2025-26 edition will be the seventh season of the men’s Pro League, featuring Argentina, Australia, Belgium, England, Germany, India, Netherlands, Spain, and now Pakistan. Ireland, who finished ninth in the previous campaign, have been relegated. Pakistan replaces them, joining eight other heavyweights in the competition.

 

India, who played 16 matches in the ongoing season — eight at home and eight away — will once again have to juggle a gruelling schedule. The highlight, however, will be the two contests against Pakistan, a team that has been striving to rebuild its stature in global hockey after years of decline.

 

India vs Pakistan: Hockey’s Fiercest Rivalry

 

Few contests in world sport carry the weight, intensity and emotion of an India–Pakistan hockey match. It is not just a game; it is one of the most storied rivalries in Asian and global sport. Over the decades, the two teams have crossed paths in every major tournament, from the World Cup and Olympics to the Asia Cup, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, Sultan Azlan Shah Cup and now the FIH Pro League.

 

Finals That Defined Generations

 

The rivalry is etched in history through repeated summit clashes. India and Pakistan contested the first six Asian Games finals, a sequence that defined hockey’s early years on the continent. Across those encounters, Pakistan emerged with six gold medals while India secured two.

 

Their battles on the Olympic stage are equally iconic. Between 1956 and 1964, the two neighbours met in three successive Olympic finals. India won two of them, but Pakistan broke through once, cementing the balance of power in those years. 

 

Asia Cup and Continental Dominance

 

The Asia Cup has been another stage for this rivalry. India and Pakistan have faced each other in three finals, with Pakistan winning two. In fact, Pakistan carved out history by lifting the first three Asia Cup titles in succession — 1982, 1985 and 1989 — all against India. These victories became symbolic of their dominance in the region.

 

Both nations have also regularly met at the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in Malaysia, adding yet another recurring chapter to their hockey saga.

 

The World Cup Classic

 

Perhaps the most memorable clash came in 1975, when India and Pakistan met in their only World Cup final. In a gripping contest, India prevailed 2–1, securing their first and only World Cup crown to date. That victory remains one of Indian hockey’s proudest moments, achieved against its fiercest rival.   

India vs Pakistan hockey head-to-head
Tournament	Matches	India won	Pakistan won	Draws
Test series	52	16	25	11
Olympic Games	7	2	4	1
World Cup	5	3	2	0
Champions Trophy	19	7	12	0
Asian Games	16	5	8	3
Asia Cup	9	3	5	1
Asian Champions Trophy	12	8	2	2
Commonwealth Games	3	1	1	1
FIH Hockey World League	3	2	0	1
Afro-Asian Games	2	2	0	0
Others	53	18	23	12
TOTAL	181	67	82	32

 

Why It Matters

 

An India-Pakistan hockey match has always been about more than sport. The two nations share a rivalry steeped in history, carrying the weight of past Olympic finals, Asian Games battles, and World Cup encounters. For fans across the subcontinent, these clashes are moments of collective pride and national emotion.

 

For Pakistan, returning to the Pro League represents a chance to measure themselves against the world’s best and revive their legacy in the sport. For India, it is an opportunity to continue their push as a global force and reignite the traditional rivalry in front of a new generation of supporters.

 

The Big Picture

 

With Pakistan back in the fray, the FIH Pro League gains both competitive edge and commercial appeal. The matches against India are expected to draw record audiences and revive memories of an era when the subcontinent dominated world hockey.

 

As the countdown begins to the 2025-26 season, one question looms large: will India extend their dominance in recent years, or can Pakistan script a stirring comeback on hockey’s grand stage? Whatever the result, the revival of this rivalry promises to inject new energy into the sport.