Pakistan Announce 20-Member Squad for FIH Hockey World Cup 2026

LAHORE: The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) on Wednesday unveiled a 20-member national squad along with the team management for the upcoming FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup 2026, which will be jointly hosted by the Netherlands and Belgium from August 15 to 30.

After successfully qualifying for the global showpiece, Pakistan will return to the biggest stage in international hockey with a squad that combines seasoned campaigners and emerging young players.

The selected squad consists of Waqar, Muhammad Abdullah, Muhammad Sufyan Khan, Moeen Shakeel, Abdul Waheed Ashraf Rana, Abdul Hanan Shahid, Zakaria Hayat, Arshad Liaqat, Adeel Latif, Ahmad Nadeem, Ghazanfar Ali, Imad Shakeel Butt, Muhammad Hamaduddin Anjum, Rehman Abdul, Afraz, Umar Mustafa, Abu Bakar Mahmood, Ali Raza, Abdul Matan and Muhammad Imad.

Waqar and Ali Raza have been named as the team’s two goalkeepers.

The support staff will be headed by Team Manager Muhammad Owais Qarni, while Dutch coach Bob Johan Veldhof will serve as head coach. The coaching unit also includes assistant coaches Christopher John Bowen of Great Britain and Adnan Zakir, with Ashraf Sultan appointed as the team’s video technician.

In a major leadership change ahead of the tournament, the PHF confirmed that veteran midfielder Ammad Butt has been relieved of the captaincy after serving in the role for 14 years. Experienced forward Abu Bakar Mahmood has been appointed as the new captain of the national side.

Ammad Butt captained Pakistan during their successful World Cup qualification campaign earlier this year, guiding the team to a runners-up finish in the qualifying event and securing the country’s first appearance at the FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup since 2018.

PHF President Mohiuddin Ahmad Wani extended his best wishes to the players and team management, expressing confidence in the squad’s ability to perform well at the tournament. He also called on hockey fans across the country to support the national team as it aims to make a strong impact on the world stage.