Pakistan are set to return to the FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup after an eight-year absence as they are looking forward to ending their decades-long trophy drought at this year’s tournament in Belgium.
The 2026 edition of the World Cup will be held across the Netherlands and Belgium from August 15 to 30, marking Pakistan’s first appearance at the prestigious event since 2018 after missing out on qualification for the 2023 tournament.
The four-time world champions secured their place at the World Cup by finishing as runners-up in the qualifiers earlier this year and will now look to make a strong return on hockey’s biggest stage.
The tournament will get underway on August 15 with India taking on Wales at the Wagener Hockey Stadium in Amstelveen. The match will begin at 1:00 PM local time, which corresponds to 4:00 PM Pakistan Standard Time.
Good luck to the Pakistan hockey team as they depart for the FIH World Cup in Belgium and the Netherlands 🇵🇰🏑
Make us proud boys 💚 pic.twitter.com/tPcwM7lijP
— Muneeb Farrukh (@Muneeb313_) August 9, 2026
They are placed in the pool D alongside arch-rivals India, England, and Wales.
Pakistan’s group-stage fixtures (PST)
- August 15: Pakistan vs England – 10:00 PM
- August 17: Pakistan vs Wales – 3:30 PM
- August 19: Pakistan vs India – 6:00 PM