Pakistan booked their place at the 2026 FIH Hockey World Cup after defeating Japan 4-3 in a dramatic semi-final of the qualifier held in Ismailia, Egypt on Friday, March 6. The team secured victory with a late goal, securing a return to the World Cup and putting the horror of their ill-fated tour of Australia to rest. Along with Pakistan, England also qualified after a 7–1 win over Malaysia in their respective semi-finals, setting up the final clash between the two sides.
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With these results, both Pakistan and England advance to the tournament, joining India, Germany, New Zealand, South Africa, Argentina, Belgium, Spain, Netherlands and Australia as confirmed teams. France and Ireland also entered the tournament, occupying 13 of the 16 World Cup spots.
Pakistan and England will now face each other in the final of the qualifying tournament in Ismailia, while Malaysia and Japan will clash in the bronze medal match. The winner of the third place match also qualifies for the World Cup. In addition, the highest-placed fourth-placed team in all qualifiers is set to gain a spot, further intensifying the competition for the remaining spots.
HOW PAKISTAN OVERCOME OFF-FIELD ISSUES
Despite the success on the field, Pakistan hockey he faced considerable off-field unrest during his FIH Pro League tour of Australia. The team encountered an accommodation crisis that resulted in widespread criticism and administrative repercussions. The incident attracted attention at the highest political level and had ramifications for both management and athletes.
Team captain Ammad Butt has been vocal in criticizing the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) for alleged mismanagement during the tour. The controversy escalated when Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ordered an inquiry into the matter. Subsequently, PHF President Tariq Bugti resigned from his post and Ammad Butt was initially banned for two years. This series of events further complicated Pakistan’s progress towards World Cup qualification.
The administrative situation started to stabilize after Mohiuddin Wani was appointed as interim president of PHF. Under his leadership, Ammad Butt’s two-year ban liftedallowing the captain to rejoin the team when they have completed their qualifying run.
HOW THE PAKISTAN VS. JAPAN?
Japan had the first clear-cut chance of the game when Tsubasa Tanaka found himself one-on-one with the keeper, but his effort sailed over the bar. Muhammad Ammad put Pakistan ahead in the 9th minute, reacting quickly to a rebound after his initial shot was saved by Takumi Kitagawa and bounced back against the post. Japan created several chances from penalty corners but they were denied, including Arshad Liaqat’s superb save against the post. They finally equalized in the 21st minute when Ryoma Ooka deflected the ball into the net from open play to make it 1-1 at halftime.
Japan took the lead early in the second half through Shota Yamada, whose header found the net in the 35th minute. They extended their lead in the 41st minute after a clever header caught the Pakistani defense off guard. The keeper rushed in but failed to clear the ball, allowing Koji to score with a simple finish at the left post.
However, Pakistan mounted a comeback, especially after Japan were reduced to 10 men following a yellow card with about 10 minutes remaining. Abu Mahmood pulled one back in the 52nd minute with a cross through the middle. Pakistan leveled the scores three minutes later when Sufyan Khan fired a powerful drive between the keeper and the back of the post.
The final moments were dramatic. Afraz put Pakistan ahead in the 57th minute with an excellent deflection from open play. Japan were awarded a penalty shortly afterwards, but Ali Raza made a crucial save as he stuck out his right foot to deny them and seal victory for Pakistan.
– The end
Published on:
07 March 2026 09:44 IST
