Pakistan have been positioned in Pool B for the lads’s hockey competitors on the twentieth Asian Video games 2026, the place they’ll face China, Malaysia, Oman, Thailand and Uzbekistan within the group stage, the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) mentioned on Thursday.
The hockey match, organised underneath the Asian Hockey Federation (AHF), shall be held from Sept. 18 to Oct. 3 in Gifu, Japan, as a part of the continental multi-sport occasion.
Pakistan will start their marketing campaign on Sept. 20 towards Thailand earlier than taking over Uzbekistan two days later. They’ll then face China on Sept. 24, adopted by matches towards Malaysia on Sept. 26 and Oman on Sept. 28.
The highest groups from the group stage will advance to the knockout rounds, with Pakistan aiming to mount a robust problem in a match the place they’ve traditionally loved appreciable success.
Pool A options hosts Japan alongside conventional rivals South Korea and India, in addition to Bangladesh, Indonesia and Sri Lanka.
The Asian Video games have lengthy been a major competitors for Pakistan hockey, with the nation having received a number of gold medals in earlier editions. Nonetheless, Pakistan have been working to rebuild their standing in worldwide hockey after a interval of decline that noticed them miss a number of main world tournaments.
The 2026 Asian Video games will present one other alternative for Pakistan’s rising squad to check themselves towards a few of Asia’s strongest groups, together with India, South Korea and Japan, who stay among the many continent’s main hockey nations.
The PHF mentioned the introduced schedule will assist the nationwide crew plan its preparations forward of the match, with additional coaching and choice choices anticipated because the occasion approaches.
Pakistan’s participation in Gifu shall be intently adopted because the crew seems to be to enhance its worldwide rating and revive its status as one in all hockey’s historic powers.
