LAHORE: Pakistan, who missed out on the recent Asia Cup, will get their final chance to qualify for the 2026 FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup through the qualifiers scheduled for early next year.
According to the International Hockey Federation (FIH), the qualifiers will take place from Feb 28 to March 8, 2026, with two separate tournaments, each featuring up to eight teams. The top three teams from each event will earn direct berths at the World Cup, while the best-ranked side among the two fourth-placed teams will also advance.
In total, seven teams from the qualifiers will join the already confirmed nations — Belgium, the Netherlands, Australia, Spain, Argentina and Germany — at the 16-nation tournament to be co-hosted by Belgium and the Netherlands.
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Teams from the Americas (United States, Canada, Chile), Europe (France, England, Austria, Poland, Ireland, Wales, Scotland), Asia (including Pakistan and four others) and Africa will compete for the remaining slots. Separately, the winners of the Men’s Asia Cup will qualify directly for the World Cup.
For Pakistan, the qualifiers represent the last opportunity to secure a place at the Hockey World Cup 2026, as the national side continues its struggle to regain a foothold on world hockey’s biggest stage.
