Pakistan’s once-glorious hockey tradition is facing another difficult period after the national team’s disappointing campaign at the 2026 Hockey World Cup in the Netherlands and Belgium. Former players and Olympians have expressed serious concern over the team’s decline and called for an immediate injection of fresh talent.
Pakistan, a four-time World Cup champion, has not won the tournament since 1994. The latest campaign has again highlighted the gap between the former giants of world hockey and the leading teams of the modern era. Pakistan have already been eliminated from the title race and are set to play South Africa in the classification match for 11th place.
Former Olympian Wasim Feroze believes Pakistan must focus on producing results quickly rather than relying only on long-term plans. The Pakistan Hockey Federation has announced plans to introduce a hockey league and promote the sport in schools and educational institutions, but Feroze believes the immediate priority should be the Asian Games in Japan next month.
He said a strong performance at the Asian Games against teams such as India, Malaysia, Japan, China and South Korea could help restore confidence in Pakistani hockey. According to him, young players need to see the national team winning matches if the sport is to regain popularity at the grassroots level.
One of the biggest concerns is the growing dominance of cricket in Pakistan. Former players argue that the popularity of cricket has made it increasingly difficult for hockey to attract young talent. “Everyone wants to play cricket,” Feroze said, highlighting the challenge of finding promising youngsters for the national hockey system.
Former international Ahmed Alam also questioned Pakistan’s ability to compete against the world’s leading teams. He pointed to the team’s struggles against European and SENA nations and noted that Pakistan finished ninth and last in the recent FIH Pro League. The team lost all 16 of its matches in that competition, conceding 79 goals while scoring only 22.
The criticism comes despite Pakistan returning to the World Cup after missing the 2023 edition. The team had qualified through an impressive campaign at the World Cup Qualifier in Egypt, raising hopes of a revival.
Former great Rasheed-ul-Hasan also expressed disappointment at the decline of both Pakistan and India, once dominant forces in international hockey. He believes Pakistan must accept responsibility for its current position and adapt to the modern game.
For Pakistan hockey, the Asian Games now provide an important opportunity. A strong showing there could offer the confidence and momentum needed for a longer-term revival. But former players believe meaningful change will require fresh talent, better grassroots development, stronger domestic competition and a renewed focus on making hockey attractive to the next generation.
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