Pakistan team land in Netherlands for FIH Hockey World Cup 2026
Four-time champions Pakistan return to World Cup after missing previous edition
LAHORE: Four-time world champions Pakistan’s men’s hockey team have arrived in the Netherlands as they prepare to compete in the FIH Hockey World Cup and attempt to reclaim their lost glory.
The Hockey World Cup, co-hosted by the Netherlands and Belgium, will be held from 15 to 30 August. Pakistan have been drawn in Group D alongside arch-rivals India, England and Wales.
The Green Shirts will make their first World Cup appearance since 2018 after failing to qualify for the 2023 edition.
Pakistan secured their place in this year’s tournament after finishing runners-up in the qualifiers earlier this year.
The World Cup will begin on 15 August, with India taking on Wales at the Wagener Hockey Stadium in Amstelveen. The match is scheduled to start at 1pm local time (4pm Pakistan Standard Time).
Pakistan chief selector and former Olympian Samiullah remained cautious about the team’s prospects, particularly after their struggles in the recently concluded FIH Pro League, where they failed to win a match.
“Although I don’t have much hope, if the boys play spiritedly, better results could be achieved,” Samiullah said.
“England and India are tough teams, while Wales are not a bad side either. In the Pro League, we played two matches each against England and India and lost all four. However, we lost two of those matches by close margins.
“If we can win one game and earn one draw, then we can create hope of progressing to the next stage,” he added.
Samiullah also acknowledged Pakistan’s defensive shortcomings and said the team had conceded too many goals in recent matches.
“You know, we conceded too many goals, and the Dutch coach has focused on defence. He has also worked on penalty corners, while goalkeeping was another area of focus for improvement,” he said.
Pakistan will begin their World Cup campaign against England on 15 August.
Pakistan squad
Waqar (GK), Muhammad Abdullah, Muhammad Sufyan Khan, Moin Shakeel, Abdul Waheed Ashraf Rana, Abdul Hannan Shahid, Zikriya Hayat, Arshad Liaqat, Adeel Latif, Ahmad Nadeem, Ghazanfar Ali, Ammad Shakeel Butt, Muhammad Hammaduddin Anjum, Rehman Abdul, Afraz, Umar Mustafa, Abu Bakar Mahmood (C), Ali Raza (GK), Abdul Manan and Muhammad Ammad.
Team management
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