Shahnaz Shaikh
With the Hockey World Cup 2026 set to begin on August 15 in Belgium and the Netherlands, Pakistan's campaign will hinge on a familiar equation: five points from the pool stage should be enough to send the four-time champions into the quarter-finals.
The 16-team event has been divided into four pools, with Pakistan drawn in Pool D alongside England, India and Wales. The top two sides from each pool advance to the knockout stage, and Pakistan's opener against England on the tournament's opening days is expected to set the tone for the campaign. Five days later, on August 19, comes the fixture that will dominate headlines back home: Pakistan versus India.
Putting the Pro League behind them
Pakistan's recent form in the FIH Pro League has been underwhelming, but there is a case to be made that those results should not weigh on the squad heading into Belgium and the Netherlands. The bigger issue, in this observer's view, has been a shortage of big-match temperament — a consequence of Pakistan's limited exposure to top-ranked opposition in major tournaments over recent years.
That shortage will be tested immediately against India. Pakistan cannot afford to go into that match with anything less than full conviction. The days of grass-roots, 1970s-style hockey are long gone; what is required now is the structured, four-quarter game plan of the modern era — built on Pakistan's traditional zonal approach, a “one-plus-one” and trio attacking shape, and German-influenced defensive pressing.
A strong showing at this World Cup would carry weight well beyond the scoreline — it would give real momentum to the Pakistan Hockey Federation's ongoing efforts to revive the sport domestically. Pakistan remains the only nation to have lifted the World Cup four times, a record that still sets it apart in the sport's history.
Three departments, one team
Victory, if it comes, will depend on all three departments of the side functioning as a single unit.
The forward line carries the responsibility of stretching opposition defences and creating chances, while staying disciplined enough not to leave the team exposed to counter-attacks. The midfield must build a solid defensive screen, breaking up opposition moves before they reach the circle. Deep defence needs to function as the team's last line of caution, while — as in all modern hockey — the goalkeeper's form could ultimately prove decisive.
A settled group, despite the turnover at the top
The current squad has largely trained and competed together for close to two years, even as the team has gone through three different management set-ups in the space of six months. The inclusion of the Sufiyan-Hassan pairing in attack is expected to add further firepower up front.
Players will need to manage the tempo of a fast, modern game: staying composed when ahead, and avoiding panic when behind.
The numbers that need to change
Statistics from Pakistan's recent Pro League matches point to a clear problem — possession and ball retention were markedly lower than their opponents', forcing the side to spend an estimated 60 percent of its energy on defensive duties rather than building attacks. It is a weakness this correspondent has flagged before: physical conditioning, inconsistency, and a tendency to fade in the closing stages of matches. A return to the four-quarter game management associated with the Olympian Shahnaz Shaikh method could help address exactly that endurance problem.
One thing the team management would do well to avoid, going into the tournament, is any suggestion — public or private — that this World Cup “is not a target.” That framing has no place for a team carrying four World Cup titles into a tournament of this stature.
Pakistan have four stars on their jersey. The chase for a fifth begins in Holland and Belgium.
