The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) has announced a 20-member squad for the upcoming FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup 2026, with newly-appointed captain Abu Bakar Mahmood set to lead the national side at the prestigious tournament in the Netherlands and Belgium.
The World Cup will run from August 15 to 30, with Pakistan returning to the global showpiece after securing qualification earlier this year through a runners-up finish at the World Cup qualifiers.
The squad combines experienced campaigners with emerging talent as Pakistan looks to make an impact on its return to hockey’s biggest stage.
The announcement comes just days after the PHF made a major leadership change by replacing long-serving captain Ammad Butt with experienced forward Abu Bakar Mahmood.
Ammad had captained Pakistan for 14 years and played a pivotal role in guiding the team to its first World Cup qualification since 2018. Despite relinquishing the captaincy, he retains his place in the national squad for the tournament.
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The 20-member squad includes goalkeepers Waqar and Ali Raza, alongside Muhammad Abdullah, Muhammad Sufyan Khan, Moeen Shakeel, Abdul Waheed Ashraf Rana, Abdul Hanan Shahid, Zakaria Hayat, Arshad Liaqat, Adil Latif, Ahmed Nadeem, Ghazanfar Ali, Ammad Shakeel Butt, Muhammad Hamaduddin Anjum, Rehman Abdul, Afraz, Umar Mustafa, Abdul Matan and Muhammad Imad.
The team’s support staff will be headed by Team Manager Muhammad Owais Qarni, while Dutch coach Bob Johan Veldhof will serve as head coach. He will be assisted by Christopher John Bowen of Great Britain and Adnan Zakir, with Ashraf Sultan taking charge as video technician.
PHF President Mohiuddin Ahmad Wani expressed confidence in the selected squad and wished the players and coaching staff success ahead of the tournament.
He also called on hockey fans across the country to throw their support behind the national team as Pakistan seeks to restore its status among the world’s elite hockey nations.
Pakistan will begin its World Cup campaign against England on the opening day of the tournament before facing Wales on August 17. The Green Shirts will then take on arch-rivals India in their final Pool D fixture on August 19, with hopes of securing a place in the knockout stage.
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