ISLAMABAD (The Thursday Times) — Pakistan will host the FIH Hockey Men’s Nations Cup in Lahore from 19 to 28 February 2027, the International Hockey Federation (FIH) said on Friday, bringing a major international hockey tournament back to the country.
The tournament’s fifth edition will be the first with 10 teams, up from eight. Pakistan will be joined by Egypt, Ireland, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Scotland, South Africa, South Korea, and the United States, the FIH said.
The winners will earn promotion to the 2027–28 season of the FIH Hockey Pro League, the sport’s top tier.
“Pakistan hosting the 2026-27 FIH Hockey Men’s Nations Cup marks a deeply significant moment for global hockey,” said Tayyab Ikram, the FIH president. “Pakistan holds a cherished and foundational place in the heritage of our sport, driven by an extraordinary passion from its fans and an undeniable legacy of champions.”
A signing in Islamabad
The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) and the FIH signed the hosting agreement at a ceremony in Islamabad attended by Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, Rana Sanaullah, the prime minister’s adviser on inter-provincial coordination, Ikram, members of parliament, and former Olympians.
Rana Sanaullah said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had directed that Pakistan hockey regain its former standing, and that the government would give the federation every support, including for its preparations for the Nations Cup.
He said the federation’s ad hoc set-up, under the government-appointed president Mohiuddin Wani, would end soon, with elections to choose a permanent president.
He also regretted the national team’s recent results, saying internal disputes had badly damaged the national game and that only committed and capable people should be trusted to run it.
Pakistan’s road back
Pakistan finished runners-up at the 2024–25 Nations Cup before playing a season in the Pro League in 2025–26, the FIH said.
The Nations Cup, launched in 2022 as a route into the Pro League, has previously been held in South Africa, Poland, and Malaysia. South Africa won the first edition, New Zealand have won it twice, and France are the reigning champions.
