A pay dispute has emerged in Pakistan’s men’s national hockey team as senior players have threatened to boycott the second phase of the FIH Pro League scheduled for February in Australia. The dispute stems from claims that the players were not paid the full daily allowance promised for their participation in the Argentine leg of the tournament earlier this month.
Several players have confirmed this dissatisfaction with the payment leading them to send a clear warning to the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF). At least two national team players have confirmed that a clear message has been sent to the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) warning them not to participate if the issue is not resolved, according to PTI.
According to the players, they were assured a daily allowance of PKR 30,000 (approximately US$110) for the Argentina tour. However, they received only PKR 11,000 per day in their accounts.
“We were assured that we would be paid 30,000 rupees per day for the duration of the Pro League tournament in Argentina earlier this month. Last week we received daily contributions to our accounts but only 11,000 rupees, which is a scam,” said one player.
“If you look at the exchange rates, 30,000 is around $110, while 11,000 is only $40, which is a huge difference for us,” he added.
During the Argentina leg, Pakistan played four matches but failed to secure a win, losing all four matches. The team is currently scheduled for four more matches in Australia in the next stage of the FIH Pro League, although the players’ participation remains uncertain due to an ongoing salary dispute. The matter raised uncertainty about the team’s readiness for international competition and its ability to field a full squad.
In response, the PHF explained that the payments were made by the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB), which adheres to its own funding regulations.
“The policy of PHF is to pay 30,000 daily allowance to the players, but since PSB is funding all the expenses of the team for the two phases of Pro League Hockey, we cannot do much in this matter,” PHF secretary Rana Mujahid said.
Pakistan earned their spot in the current FIH Pro League after finishing as runners-up at the Hockey Nations Cup in Malaysia earlier this year. Tournament winners New Zealand declined their invitation and Pakistan confirmed their participation in accordance with FIH regulations. The allowance dispute now threatens to overshadow Pakistan’s continued presence on the international hockey stage.
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Published on:
December 30, 2025
