Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) Thursday announced to host its first-ever hockey league late this year.

In a press conference chaired by PHF's president Khalid Sajjad Khokhar, reporters were told that the hockey league will be staged with the title 'The Max'.

"It’s a milestone for the PHF," Khokhar told media. "We have worked really hard for this day to announce our league. I am proud to announce it finally," he said.

"This hockey league is our first step in reviving the sport to regain the lost glory of our golden hockey days and I am confident that working with a professional corporate team in place, PHF is now heading in the right direction!'

Khokhar hinted at minus foreign players but vowed to bring international players in next editions. "I think it will be tough to rope in foreign players initially. But, our plan will expand and soon international players will join this league," he maintained.

According to the PHF chief, experts have been added to the management through open bidding. Salman Sarwar Butt is also a part of managing team.

PHF's secretary Asif Bajwa looks forward to a successful first edition of the league. "We waited for long to announce this project. It is a milestone for all of us moving forward. This league will help our talent come to the forefront," he said.

"This league will serve as a platform to develop local players into future stars as they play alongside top international players!”, Bajwa added.

The league will be launched with a total of five teams representing (the chosen 5 regions-Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Quetta and Peshawar) with the event spread over three weeks. (Tentatively scheduled October & November or last quarter of 2022).

The setup of the league’s secretariat is now complete and it is fully operational at the PHF head office in Lahore. In February this year, the PHF signed a consultancy agreement with Salman Sarwar Butt (Senior Advisor) and Harris Jalil Mir (Project Director-Franchise Hockey League) in a mission to develop the league to match international standards.

The Blue Dot, Pakistan’s premier marketing strategy specialist who have worked in the Pakistan Super League season 7 and Design Room Sport, a London based creative design agency that specializes in brand development for major sports and leagues like The Ashes, the UEFA Champions League final, British Athletics Represent and the CONCACAF Champions League have been selected by PHF to create the brand identity for the league.

The two agencies will be developing the brand keeping in mind Pakistan’s rich hockey history which includes as many as four World Cup and three Olympic titles.

The PHF has also roped in Zaki Rehman as legal advisor, Zaki has extensive experience with sports legal framework development including major events for the Pakistan Cricket Board besides his involvement with the PSL.