India, Afghanistan Confirm Participation in Central Asian Volleyball Championship in Lahore

India and Afghanistan have officially confirmed their participation in the eight-team Central Asian Men’s Volleyball Championship, scheduled to take place in Lahore from July 3 to 10, according to Pakistan Volleyball Federation (PVF) chairman Chaudhry Mohammad Yaqoob.

Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Yaqoob stated that the PVF had already forwarded the confirmations of both countries to the foreign ministry to facilitate the timely issuance of visas for their teams.

He emphasised that sports should remain separate from political matters under the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Charter. Referring to Iran’s participation in sporting events in the United States, Yaqoob said there should be no obstacle preventing India and Afghanistan from competing in Pakistan.

Apart from India and Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Maldives and Nepal have also confirmed their participation, while Iran and Uzbekistan are expected to finalise their entries soon.

Yaqoob described the championship as an internationally recognised ranking event that would not only provide valuable ranking points to participating teams but also allow Pakistan to demonstrate its ability to successfully host major international tournaments.

The PVF chairman also unveiled a busy domestic and international volleyball schedule for 2026, including the launch of the first-ever National Volleyball League in Lahore from July 19 to August 5. The tournament will feature six franchise teams, with each side including two foreign players.

Highlighting Pakistan’s recent achievements in volleyball, Yaqoob noted that the national Under-16 team secured a gold medal last year and qualified for the Under-17 World Championship, which will be held in Doha from August 19 to 29. A training camp for the squad is already under way in Islamabad.

The upcoming world event will feature 24 countries, including Brazil, Iran, Italy, Japan, Poland, Turkiye and the United States. Pakistan is also set to compete in the Asian U-18 Volleyball Championship in Bahrain from July 12 to 18, while the senior national side will participate in the Asian Games in Japan later this year.

Meanwhile, the 55th National Men’s Volleyball Championship will take place in Wah Cantonment from May 19 to 23, featuring 16 departmental and provincial teams.

During the press conference, Yaqoob strongly criticised the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) for failing to support the Under-16 team despite its historic qualification for the world championship. He revealed that the federation had to arrange the training camp using its own resources after the PSB declined to provide funding of approximately Rs2 million per month.

He also expressed concern over the repeated lapsing of PSB funds while sports federations continue to struggle financially to organise domestic events and participate internationally.

Yaqoob further regretted the lack of a dedicated volleyball gymnasium for the federation, saying that funds allocated by the Punjab Sports Board for such a facility had gone unused because land was not made available.

The PVF chairman additionally criticised delays in the issuance of no-objection certificates (NOCs) by the PSB for international participation. He argued that federations, despite being autonomous under IOC rules, still face lengthy approval procedures without any fixed timeline.

According to Yaqoob, delays in NOC issuance make it difficult for federations to organise training camps and travel arrangements on time. He disclosed that the PVF suffered financial losses of Rs66 million and received a $30,000 fine from the International Volleyball Federation after Pakistan withdrew from an event in Chinese Taipei last year despite confirming participation and purchasing tickets.

He claimed the government withheld the NOC over concerns related to the venue, even though China had also taken part in the same event.