Pakistan Secure Spot in FIH Hockey World Cup After Eight-Year Gap

Pakistan have qualified for the FIH Hockey World Cup 2026 after defeating Japan by a scoreline of 4-3 in the semi-finals of the ongoing Qualifiers. This is a big achievement for the national team, as they have qualified for the mega tournament after a long period of eight years.

The Pakistan hockey team started the match on a strong note, as captain Ammad Butt scored the first goal in the 9th minute. It gave a great advantage to the Pakistan team, as Japan remained under pressure during the first quarter. The lead remained intact with the green shirts till the end, but then Japan’s Ryoma Ooka came up with a neutralizer in the 21st minute to level the scores.

Japan then scored back-to-back goals in the third quarter to take a strong lead, as Shota Yamada and Koji Yamasaki struck in quick succession to make the scoreline 3-1. It brought great pressure on Pakistan, as they were left with only one quarter to make the difference.

The Pakistan hockey team backed themselves and came up with a resolute performance in the last quarter to stun the Japanese team. They scored three consecutive goals in the fourth quarter, with Abu Mahmood, Sufyan Khan, and Afraz finding the net in the 52nd, 55th and 57th minutes, respectively.

Japan then came up with various aggressive attacks to level the scores, but the Pakistan team held its nerves to defend the goal post until the final whistle. As a result, they won the match by a final scoreline of 4-3, securing a confirmed spot in the FIH Hockey World Cup 2026 that will be played in Belgium and Netherlands.

The victory against Japan marks Pakistan’s fourth consecutive win in the FIH Hockey World Cup 2026 Qualifiers, as the team remained unbeaten in the group stage. They will now face England in the final of the tournament, which will be played at the same venue on Saturday.