Pakistan will launch their Hockey World Cup campaign against England on Saturday as the 16th edition of the global tournament gets underway in the Netherlands and Belgium.
The 16-team tournament, being held from Aug 15 to 30, features Germany as the defending champions. Germany defeated Belgium in the 2023 final in Odisha, India.
Pakistan are four-time World Cup winners, having claimed the title in 1971, 1978, 1982 and 1994. Australia, the Netherlands and Germany have each won the tournament three times.
The participating teams have been divided into four pools. Pool A comprises Argentina, Japan, New Zealand and the Netherlands, while Belgium, France, Germany and Malaysia form Pool B. Australia, Spain, Ireland and South Africa are in Pool C.
Pakistan are placed in Pool D alongside England, India and Wales. The tournament has introduced a crossover-pool format in place of the traditional quarter-finals, with teams progressing into Pools E to H after the opening stage.
The match against England will be played at the Wagener Hockey Stadium in Amstelveen. Pakistan will then face Wales on Aug 17 before taking on arch-rivals India on Aug 19.
The Green Shirts are returning to the World Cup after an eight-year absence, having failed to qualify for the 2023 edition.
Led by Abu Bakr Mahmood, Pakistan have prepared for the tournament in the Netherlands, playing warm-up matches against South Africa and Japan. They lost 3-1 to South Africa before defeating Japan 2-1.
Weather conditions have also been a challenge, with temperatures in the Netherlands rising above 34 degrees Celsius. However, cooler conditions are expected in the coming days.
Pakistan face a difficult pool campaign, having lost to both England and India during the 2025-26 FIH Pro League. The team suffered defeats in all 16 matches played across four legs in four countries.
Pakistan and England have met eight times at previous World Cups, with England winning four encounters and Pakistan securing two victories, while two matches ended without a result. Pakistan’s notable win came at the 1998 World Cup, where they defeated England 7-5.
India will also begin their campaign on Saturday against Wales in Amstelveen. Germany will face Malaysia, while Belgium will meet France in other Pool B fixtures.
