Pakistan’s 32-year wait for an FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup podium finish continued after it lost to arch-rival India 3-5 and exited the 2026 edition on Wednesday.
With this loss, the Green Shirts finished last in the four-team Pool D with just a single point from three matches. Earlier in the tournament, they had lost 1-4 to England and drawn 3-3 with Wales.
The men in green remain the most successful group in the history of the World Cup with four titles. Their last championship triumph, and podium finish, came in 1994 in Sydney where they beat the Netherlands 4-3 on penalties in the final.
Since then, Pakistan has failed to make the knockouts for eight editions now, which includes the 2014 and 2023 iterations where it didn’t feature.
In the 2018 edition, Pakistan’s previous appearance at the World Cup, it finished third in its group to make the cross-overs. But the side bowed out after a 0-5 drubbing at the hands of Belgium.
Published on Aug 19, 2026
