The Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) has officially issued a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for the national hockey team’s participation in the second phase of the FIH Pro Hockey League, scheduled to take place in Hobart, Australia, from February 4 to 15.
According to the PSB, the team’s foreign tour will be subject to final clearance from the Ministry of Interior before departure.
The national side will be accompanied by a support staff led by head coach Tahir Zaman, with Muhammad Usman and Zeeshan Ashraf serving as assistant coaches. The officials’ contingent also includes video analyst Muhammad Nadeem Khan Lodhi and Muhammad Aslam.
The squad features goalkeepers Muneeb-ur-Rehman and Ali Raza, along with a mix of experienced and young players: Ahmed Shakeel Butt, Muhammad Sufyan Khan, Ghazanfar Ali, Ahmed Nadeem, Moin Shakeel, Muhammad Abdullah, Muhammad Hammaduddin Anjum, Rana Abdul Wahid Ashraf, Afraz, Abu Bakr Mahmood, Abdul Rahman, Abdul Hanan Shahid, Zakaria Hayat, Arshad Liaquat, Rana Muhammad Walid Ashraf, Arbaaz Ahmed, Muhammad Amjad and Umair Sattar.
According to the schedule, in the second round of the Pro Hockey League, Pakistan will play against Australia on February 10 and 13, and against Germany on February 11 and 14.
It is worth mentioning here that the qualifying rounds for the 2026 Hockey World Cup will be staged across Egypt, India and Chile, and Pakistan’s national hockey team will compete in the men’s qualifying tournament in Egypt, scheduled to take place in Ismailia from March 1 to 7.
According to the International Hockey Federation (FIH), Chile will host both the men’s and women’s qualifiers, India will stage only the women’s events, while Egypt will host the men’s qualifiers.
Pakistan’s national hockey team will compete in the men’s qualifying tournament in Egypt alongside Pakistan teams from Egypt, England, Malaysia, Japan, Austria, China and the United States will participate in the event.
Pakistan have been placed in Group B, where they will face China, Malaysia and Austria. The Green Shirts will open their campaign against China on March 1, take on Malaysia on March 2, and conclude the group stage against Austria on March 4.
Read more: Pakistan gear up for crucial Hockey World Cup qualifiers in Egypt
