LAHORE, Jan 6: Some 22 teams including 17 departmental, four provincial and one Islamabad squad will take part in the 56th National hockey championship, to be held here at the National Hockey Stadium from Jan 23 to Feb 5.

The teams will be divided into four pools. The preliminary round will be played from Jan 23 to 28, followed by the final round from Jan 30 to Feb 5.

The departmental teams comprise Wapda, Sui Southern Gas Company, PTV, Pakistan Air Force, PIA, Customs, Police, Navy, NBP, Army, Karachi Electric Supply Corporation, Pakistan Ordnance Factories, Port Qasim Authority, HBL, Railways, Higher Education Commission and Pakistan Steel Mills.