Not Ruling Out Revival Of Champions Trophy But We Need To Have Space On Calendar: FIH President

FIH President Dato Tayyab Ikram on Wednesday expressed his willingness to revive the prestigious Champions Trophy before highlighting the difficulty in scheduling the event on an already crowded international hockey calendar.

The Champions Trophy, which began as an annual event in 1978 and transitioned to a biennial format in 2014, was once regarded as one of hockey's most esteemed tournaments, only behind the World Cup and the Olympics.

Its last edition was held in 2018 before the international federation discontinued the event.

"We are not ruling out that the Champions Trophy or a similar event might be reintroduced. But we need to look at the space (in the calendar)," Ikram said during a press conference.

He highlighted the demanding schedule of modern athletes and the importance of introducing "better and more exciting events" while considering their workload.

He also stressed the need to expand hockey's global reach and provide opportunities for nations beyond the top nine teams.

"We didn't have anything for second-tier nations. After the top 9–10 nations, we have started the Nations Cup for the next 8 countries. My target for FIH is that the top 35 nations should be involved in FIH events, which has never happened before in history." He underscored the significance of bridging the gap between elite and emerging hockey nations while acknowledging the challenges of an increasingly crowded calendar.

"So my target for FIH is that top 35 nations should be involved in FIH events, which has never happened in history. We have to bring those things forward. That's the only way to bridge the gap. We have to engage other countries as well. So the problem will be that your calendar will be filled more," he added.

Speaking about the federation's flagship tournament, the Pro League, which has been ongoing since 2019, Ikram announced the launch of a new project called "Pro League Connect," aimed at involving countries outside the top hockey nations.

"At the end of last year, I had a meeting with our events department and the Pro League team. We are launching a project called Pro League Connect," Ikram said without divulging much information about the project.

"It is important for us that not only the top nations are attached and relevant to the Pro League. We want the entire global hockey family to feel connected and make the Hockey Pro League more relevant for them." "There will be some innovations, some more initiatives to make it better," he added.

The much-anticipated Hockey India League (HIL) made a triumphant return after a seven-year hiatus, earning high praise from FIH President.

"Hockey India League has a very special feature; it is different from other leagues. In a unique way, it is organized during a dedicated period of the FIH calendar, ensuring top athletes from around the world can participate." Ikram emphasised that HIL goes beyond being just a hockey competition. "It is more than matches alone; it’s a great initiative for global hockey," he said.