Sports Bulletin

Lausanne (PR): With the FIH Hockey World Cup 2026 Qualifiers on the cusp of getting underway – with pushback in Ismailia, Egypt and Santiago, Chile, starting tomorrow (1 March), followed by action beginning in Hyderabad, India from next Sunday (8 March) – here’s what the Captains of the participating teams have to say:Women's TeamsSwitzerland - Stephanie Weber, Captain"The preparation period was short but efficient. With Australia, France, and Chile in our pool, we enter the competition as challengers with nothing to lose. We strongly believe we can steal points and win games."Korea - Yuri Lee, Captain"As we have prepared tirelessly to secure our place in the World Cup, I am confident that we can achieve strong results in the upcoming qualifiers.The fitness, teamwork, and trust we have built throughout our training will be our greatest strengths on the field. I believe it is most important to show the unity and resilience we have developed together.We will focus on each match, one game at a time, and as every player is striving toward the same goal, we will fight until the very end without giving up. By giving our absolute best in every moment, we aim to achieve the results we have been working so hard for."France - Emma Ponthieu, Captain“The team is ready and motivated for this tournament despite being in a fairly tough group. Securing qualification would be the culmination of many years of hard work, and we will give everything to achieve it.”Austria - Johanna Czech, Captain“Our preparation is short but intense, and we feel ready for the challenge ahead. We’re going into the tournament as underdogs, but we want to compete with confidence, give everything on the pitch, and make the most of this opportunity.”Italy – Federica Carta, Captain“This tournament is a great opportunity for us and we have great motivation to achieve the goal.”Scotland - Sarah Robertson, Captain“We are looking forward to seeing what we can achieve in India. We’ve been building for a number of years now and the squad is prepared for the challenge ahead.” Chile - Manuela Urroz, Captain“As the most experienced member of the team, it’s my responsibility to lead by example. I want to share my experience and contribute in any way I can after everything I’ve gone through over the years.Each of us plays a very important role on the team, and that’s something we’ve been working on for a long time with the coaching staff. It’s a tough group, but it’s also a great opportunity to secure qualification while playing at home and in front of our fans". England - Lily Walker, Captain“We are looking forward to the qualifiers in Hyderabad and hopefully qualifying for the World Cup in the summer. We have had a good preparation for the tournament and can’t wait to get started.”India - Salima Tete, Captain“As we approach the FIH Hockey World Cup Qualifiers Hyderabad, Telangana 2026, the entire team has been training with great intensity and clarity of purpose. We have worked strongly on our fitness, structure, and decision-making under pressure, because tournaments like these are about consistency across every match. Playing at home in India gives us added motivation, and we want to make the most of that energy and support.We know that facing Scotland, Uruguay, and Wales in the pool stage will be tricky, as each team brings a different style and strengths. Our focus is on taking one game at a time, staying disciplined with our plans, and expressing ourselves with confidence on the field. The goal is clear — to play fearless hockey, deliver consistent performances, and make our country proud by securing qualification for the 2026 World Cup.”Malaysia - Juliani Mohamad Din, Captain“Qualifying would be a dream come true, but even competing in the qualifiers is already a valuable experience in one of the toughest tournaments in international hockey.”Australia - Stephanie Kershaw“We know it’s really important obviously with World Cup qualification. So our first job is to come here and qualify for the World Cup. But we’re also a very competitive team and we want to win everything that we come to. So, we’re looking to win this tournament and make World Cup as well.”Men's TeamsMalaysia - Mohammad Marhan Mohd Jalil, Captain“Our preparations have been intense, and the squad is motivated for the World Cup qualifiers. Every match in the pool will be a tough challenge, and we’re ready to give our best.”France - François Goyet, Captain“We are approaching the qualification tournament with great excitement and ambition. After our strong run at EuroHockey 2025, where we were considered outsiders, this time the challenge will be to embrace one of the favourites’ roles in the race to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.The task will obviously be difficult against teams such as Scotland, Wales, and Chile in the group stage, but we are confident in the team’s qualities — a blend of youth and experience — to achieve our ultimate goal.”Austria – Benjamin Kölbl, Captain“Our preparation has been relatively short due to the Indoor European Championship in January. We have only one Training camp/tournament in Granada ahead of the qualifier.Our goal is, of course, to achieve the best possible result. At the same time, it is equally important for us to continue growing together as a team, as we have a very Young squad with several new players from the U21. We want to take the next step in our development following the last outdoor European Championship.”USA – Aki Kaeppeler, Captain"Reaching the final at the last Pan Am Cup gave us a boost and more belief in the group and what we’ve been building. It has been a long time since those last competitive games and we are looking forward to playing some top opposition again. We’re confident in the selected team and ready to perform and fight for a World Cup spot!”Pakistan – Ammad Butt, Captain“Hockey is our identity, and victory is our responsibility. Our sticks don’t merely strike the ball they echo generations of greatness. Glory lives in our game, and the world will witness our rise again.”Chile - Andrés Pizarro, Captain "I’ve had the opportunity to play several tournaments at home, and it’s a matter of great pride to compete with our fans cheering us on. This is going to be a great championship — it will be incredible. All of our opponents are tough, but we’ll leave everything on the field and go for qualification to the World Cup.” England - Zach Wallace, Captain“We are looking forward to starting the World Cup Qualifiers on Sunday. There is a great feeling in the squad right now and following a positive winter period, we’ll be hoping to continue our good form in the upcoming games.”

Lausanne (Sports News): Scotland men’s hockey stand on the brink of history as they prepare for the FIH Hockey World Cup Qualifiers 2026, with captain Rob Field describing the opportunity as something players “dream about as kids”.For Scotland, qualification would mark a first-ever appearance at a men's FIH Hockey World Cup, a milestone that adds extra meaning to the challenge ahead.“To captain the team is a real honour,” said Field. “And knowing it could be the pathway to our first-ever World Cup makes it even more special. It’s something you dream about as a kid.”While the stakes are high, Field believes the balance between excitement and pressure is one the squad is embracing rather than fearing.“There’s definitely a mix of excitement and pressure, but I see that as a positive thing,” he explained. “The excitement comes from the opportunity. Not many groups get the chance to create history, and that’s something we’re embracing.”Scotland arrive at the qualifiers in Santiago, Chile with a squad that blends youth, form and growing experience on the international stage. Despite not having previously featured at a World Cup, the team has steadily built belief through recent campaigns. “We’ve got a really exciting group of players right now,” Field said. “There’s a lot of quality in the squad, a number of guys in great form, and I genuinely believe we play a brand of hockey that’s exciting. That gives us confidence.”Key to that confidence is the experience gained from recent FIH tournaments and continental competitions, including last year’s triumph at the inaugural FIH Hockey Men's Nations Cup 2.“We’re a relatively young group, but we’ve also been together for a while,” Field noted. “A lot of our younger players have already experienced multiple international tournaments. Winning the Nations Cup 2 showed us that we can handle the pressure of knockout hockey and that we can find ways to win.”For Field, the prospect of leading Scotland onto the world’s biggest stage is deeply personal, but the focus remains firmly on the task at hand.“Absolutely, it would be a dream come true,” he said. “Representing your country at a World Cup is the highest level of the game, and to help Scotland reach one for the first time would be incredibly special.”“We’re trying not to get too far ahead of ourselves,” Field added. “The focus is on taking each game as it comes and giving ourselves the best possible chance to make that dream a reality.”As the qualifiers approach, Scotland men carry not only the hopes of a squad, but the possibility of making history for their nation.

PHF asks 35 players to join camp, Green Shirts to participate in Pro League next monthAbdul Jabbar FaisalISLAMABAD: National hockey team training camp to commence on January 5, here at Naseer Bunda Hockey Stadium, as the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) has invited 35 players to report manager, aiming to enhance game skills before playing the Pro Hockey League, which will be held from February 10 to 15, 2026, at Hobart, Australia.Names of players:Abdullah Ishtiaq Khan, Muneeb ur Rehman, Mohammad Waqar Khan, Ali Raza, Mohammad Faizan Janjua, Bilal Khan (goalkeeper),Mohammad Sufyan Khan, Mohammad Abdullah, Ammaduddin Anjum, Abdul Manan, Ammad Shakil Butt, Usama Bashir, Arbaz Ahmed, Abu Bakar Mehmood (Deep Defenders)Moin Shakil, Zikriya Hayat, Ghazanfar Ali, Arshad Laiquat, Juaid Manzoor, Mohammad Salman Razzak, Mohammad Nadeem Khan, Muhibullah (Midfielders)Abdul Hannan Shahid, Abdul Rehman, Mohammad Afraz Khan, Rana Waheed, Rana Mohammad Waleed, Ahmed Nadeem, Mohammad Ammad, Abdul Qayyum, Basharat Ali, Umair Sattar, Hamza Fayyaz, Abu Zar, Rafiullah Khan (Strikers)Technical Officials:Anjum Saeed (Manager), Tahir Zaman (Head Coach), Mohammad Usman (Assistant Coach), Zeeshan Ashraf (Assistant Coach), Mukhtar Ahmed (Trainee Coach), Mazhar Abbas (Goalkeeper Coach), Nadeem Khan Lodhi (Video Analyst), Mohammad Aslam (Masseur).

Lausanne (Sports News): As we inch ever closer to the start of the FIH Hockey Pro League 2025-26 season on 9 December, we are excited to bring you an exclusive pre-season interview series with players and coaches from the world’s top hockey nations participating in the “League of the Best”.This series will dive into the minds of the sport’s finest athletes and coaches, uncovering their thoughts on the upcoming season, personal goals, and the strategies their teams are crafting to compete at the highest level. From seasoned veterans to rising stars, these interviews provide a unique glimpse into the passion, preparation, and drive that fuel the teams vying for glory.In today’s interview we speak with Zak Jones, coach of the England men’s hockey team...What does the FIH Hockey Pro League mean to the squad?We love the challenge and privilege of playing the other top teams in the world an enjoy the experiences of playing in different conditions and environments. It is also provides us with a regular opportunity to measure up where we are and how we are progressing as a team. How are the preparations going? Preparations are going well. We have enjoyed being back together training regularly since late September and we are very excited about what the new additions to our coaching team Robert van der Horst, Ashley Jackson and David Ames are bringing to our environment. The FIH Hockey Pro League is the 'league of the best', how does competing in the league develop the players? Playing against the best teams in different conditions and environments and learning how to manage travel etc and still perform is something that challenges the players in so many different ways both on and off the pitch. It is a combination of all those experiences that aids and accelerates their growth and development. What are the aims for the 2025/26 season?To keep trying to play a high tempo, attacking style of hockey and produce performances more consistently throughout the tournament. In the last edition we started really well but tailed off a little towards the end so the challenge will be to start well again and then maintain our level. Where is the squad's favourite venue? Argentina has definitely been a favourite in recent years but playing at home in Lee Valley in front of our fantastic own fans definitely has to be the highlight. 

Islamabad (Sports News): Penalty corner specialist Mohammad Sufyan Khan delivered an outstanding performance with a double hat-trick.In Dhaka, Bangladesh, during the ongoing World Cup Qualifying Round, Pakistan won the third and final match of the three-match series between Pakistan and Bangladesh by a one-sided margin of 10–3.From Pakistan’s side, Mohammad Sufyan Khan showcased exceptional skill by scoring six goals with a double hat-trick, Abdul Rehman scored two, while Nadeem Ahmed and Rana Waleed scored one goal each.From Bangladesh, Abdullah, Raqeeb Hasan, and Ashraf-ul-Hasan scored one goal each. Mohammad Sufyan Khan was declared the Man of the Match.President of the Pakistan Hockey Federation Mir Tariq Hussain Bugti and Secretary General Olympian Rana Mujahid Ali Khan congratulated the national team on winning the series.

Dhaka (Sports News): Pakistan beat Bangladesh 8-0 in the second match of the three-match series.For Pakistan, Mohammad Sufyan Khan and Rana Waheed Ashraf scored two goals each, while Rana Waleed, Hannan Shahid, Afraz, and Imad Butt scored one goal each.The last match of the Pakistan-Bangladesh series will be played on 16 November.

Sports Bulletin ReportLausanne (Switzerland): The wait is nearly over. In just one month, the world’s most promising Rising Stars of men’s hockey will gather in the heart of south India for the FIH Hockey Men’s Junior World Cup Tamil Nadu 2025, taking place from 28 November to 10 December 2025 in Chennai and Madurai. This edition will make history as the first-ever FIH Junior Hockey World Cup to feature 24 teams, expanding the global reach of the sport and giving more nations than ever before, the chance to compete on hockey’s biggest youth stage. From traditional powerhouses like Argentina, India and Germany, to exciting debutants like Switzerland, China and Namibia, the expanded format promises more matches, more stories, and more opportunities for emerging talent to shine.Hosted in the cities of Chennai and Madurai in Tamil Nadu, India the tournament is set to deliver an unforgettable experience for players and fans alike. With state-of-the-art venues, vibrant fan culture, and the electric atmosphere of Indian hockey, this event will showcase the future of the game in its purest, most energetic form.Pool A: Canada, Germany, Ireland, South AfricaPool B: Chile, India, Oman, SwitzerlandPool C: Argentina, China, Japan, New Zealand Pool D: Belgium, Egypt, Spain, NamibiaPool E: Austria, England, Malaysia, NetherlandsPool F: Australia, Bangladesh, France, KoreaThe pool stage matches will be played from 28 November to 2 December, followed by knockout matches from 4 to 10 December..

Islamabad (SBR): Pakistan produced remarkable performance in the ongoing 13th Sultan of Johor Cup 2025 being played in Johor, Malaysia, as they played 3-3 draw against heavyweight India on Tuesday.For Pakistan, the first goal was scored through a penalty stroke, while the other two goals came via penalty corners. The first goal was netted in the 5th minute by Captain Hannan Shahid, while Mohammad Sufyan Khan scored the second and third goals in the 39th and 55th minutes, respectively.For India, Arjit, Anand, and Manmeet Singh each scored one goal. India was also awarded a penalty stroke. Overall, Pakistan earned 6 and India 9 penalty corners. Pakistan successfully converted two of its penalty corners into goals and scored one via penalty stroke, while India failed to capitalize on any of its penalty corners. Mohammad Sufyan Khan was declared the Man of the Match.The Pakistan Junior Hockey Team will play its fourth match against New Zealand on October 15, and the fifth match against Australia on October 17.

Islamabad (Sports Desk): Great Britain beat Pakistan 5-1 in the 13th Sultan of Johor Cup 2025 being held in Johor, Malaysia.Pakistan started the game with an impressive performance but, unfortunately, missed several clear goal opportunities. On the other hand, Great Britain outplayed Pakistan, scoring five goals to Pakistan’s one. For Great Britain, Jonny and Henry scored two goals each, while Caddy scored one. Pakistan only goal came from Mohammad Sufyan Khan through a penalty corner.The Pakistan Junior Hockey Team will play its third match against traditional rivals India on October 14, fourth match against New Zealand on October 15, and fifth match against Australia on October 17.

Sports Bulletin ReportJohor (Malaysia): Pakistan stunned hosts Malaysia 7-2 in their opening match of the 13th Sultan of Johor Cup 2025 being played in Johor, Malaysia.Penalty corner specialist Mohammad Sufyan Khan delivered an outstanding performance, scoring three goals through penalty corners to complete a hat-trick, and was declared Man of the Match.From Pakistan’s side, Mohammad Sufyan Khan opened the scoring in the 3rd minute with a penalty corner, and added another goal in the 21st minute, also from a penalty corner. The third goal was scored by captain Abdul Hannan Shahid in the 30th minute, the fourth by Nadeem Khan in the 32nd minute, the fifth again by Mohammad Sufyan Khan in the 34th minute, the sixth by Nadeem Khan in the 44th minute, and the seventh by Hamza Fayyaz in the 52nd minute. For Malaysia, Ammar and Azeemuddin scored one goal each.Upcoming Fixtures:12 October: Great Britain vs Pakistan14 October: Pakistan vs India15 October: New Zealand vs Pakistan17 October: Pakistan vs Australia