Kho Kho World Cup 2025: Why are Pakistan and Canada missing from inaugural event in India? Here's what we know

The inaugural edition of the Kho Kho World Cup 2025 is all set to take place in India, featuring 24 teams across the men's and women's divisions from six continents. Scheduled from January 13 to January 19, the event will be held at New Delhi's Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, with India expected to be the favorite.

While fans are eagerly anticipating teams from around the world competing in this first ever tournament, it has been announced that two countries – Pakistan and Canada – will not be participating in the event.

Why are Pakistan and Canada missing from inaugural event?

Pakistan is set to miss the inaugural edition due to visa issues. The tournament's opening fixture was initially planned as a thrilling contest between arch-rivals India and Pakistan. However, Pakistan is likely to miss the competition due to delays in visa approvals, according to a report by?The Indian Express.?

Now, the Indian men's team will face Nepal on January 13 in the tournament opener, while the Indian women's team will take on Pakistan women as originally scheduled.?

On the other hand, unlike Pakistan's visa issues, Canada has officially withdrawn from the tournament. The country has cited rising diplomatic tensions between the two nations. The Kho Kho Federation of India (KKFI) confirmed the decision, with president Sudhanshu Mittal stating, "Canada will not come because of worsening relationships between our countries. They informed us of this decision almost two months ago,"?Tribune India?reported.?

More about Kho Kho World Cup 2025:

The World Cup will feature two prestigious trophies: a blue trophy for the men's championship and a green trophy for the women's championship. The event will be broadcast on the Star Sports Network and Doordarshan, with live streaming available on the Disney+ Hotstar app and website.?

Men's Kho Kho teams

Group A:?India, Nepal, Peru, Brazil, Bhutan

Group B:?South Africa, Ghana, Argentina, Netherlands, Iran

Group C:?Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Republic of Korea, United States of America, Poland

Group D:?England, Germany, Malaysia, Australia, Kenya

Women's Kho Kho teams

Group A:?India, Iran, Malaysia, Republic of Korea

Group B:?England, Australia, Kenya, Uganda, Netherlands

Group C:?Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Germany, Bangladesh

Group D:?South Africa, New Zealand, Poland, Peru, Indonesia

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