"Our commitment is to bring investment into hockey."
Pakistan has officially launched the Pakistan Hockey League in Islamabad, marking an ambitious step toward reviving the country’s national sport.
The launch ceremony took place on October 14, 2026.
It brought together government officials, federation representatives, private sector partners and members of the hockey community.
The Pakistan Hockey League is a joint initiative of the Pakistan Hockey Federation and Media Cast.
It is designed to create a professional competitive structure for the sport.
The league aims to bring together international players, Pakistani talent, corporate sponsors and team owners under one organised framework.
Rana Mashhood Ahmed Khan, chairman of the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme, attended the launch as chief guest.
He delivered a message of strong government commitment and welcomed the collaborative effort.
Khan expressed confidence that the league and other development initiatives would collectively help restore Pakistan’s standing in international hockey.
He reaffirmed that the government would continue to support initiatives aimed at developing the sport.
PHF President Mohyuddin Ahmad Wani also spoke at the ceremony, outlining the federation’s vision for sustained reform and institutional development.
He said the federation’s priorities included improving playing standards, upgrading infrastructure and attracting corporate investment.
Expanding facilities and providing players with better incentives and opportunities were also highlighted as central pillars of the agenda.
Wani stressed that restoring Pakistan hockey to its former glory would require professional management, long-term planning and stronger government-private sector partnerships.
He said: “Our commitment is to bring investment into hockey, improve infrastructure, provide better incentives for our players and create an environment in which Pakistan hockey can once again progress and succeed.”
His words captured the ambition behind the league and the broader vision of transforming Pakistani hockey from its current position.
Salman Danish, owner of Media Cast and a key partner in the league, outlined his company’s role in the project’s commercial and operational structure.
He said Media Cast would work with the PHF to organise the competition professionally.
The organisers made clear that the league is intended to increase commercial interest in hockey and raise competitive standards across the board.
Creating sustainable investment opportunities that can fund long-term development is also a core objective of the league’s founding vision.
Pakistan was once one of the most dominant nations in international hockey.
The nation won the Olympic gold medal four times and the World Cup four times.
That golden era, which stretched across several decades from the 1960s to the 1980s, established Pakistan as the undisputed powerhouse of world hockey.
However, the sport has struggled significantly in recent decades, with the national team failing to maintain its position.
