In a first, Pakistan wins US ice hockey tournament

Pakistan has etched its name in the annals of international ice hockey by winning the LATAM Cup Division III Championship in the United States.

The national men’s team defeated Peru 6-1 in the final and was unbeaten (5 -0) in tournament play and the playoffs. They showcased a remarkable turnaround from last year’s performance, when they managed only a single win.

The women’s team won the Division II bronze medal in its LATAM Cup debut. The championship featured more than 62 teams from 17 countries.

Pakistan's men Ice Hockey team defeated Peru 6-1 to win the Division III championship of the LATAM Cup on Wednesday. pic.twitter.com/aFHqsH3NPL

— Taimoor Zaman (@taimoor_ze) August 21, 2025

“You can’t do better than this first gold, first cup,” said Kameron Sabir, the Edmonton-based physician and coach of the men’s team. “It’s just an amazing day for the country and ice hockey. The women did such an amazing job too. Tremendous performance for their first tournament.”

Mariya Rauf, coach of Pakistan’s women’s team and a forward at Yale University’s NCAA Division I hockey team, expressed pride at the national effort.

Holding a cricket bat gifted by her players, she said, “Cricket is our national sport, but I think after this, it just shows hockey is growing every single day. This shows there’s talent, and we’re just going to keep getting better.”