LAHORE: Pakistan have been placed alongside arch-rivals India in Pool ‘D’ after the International Hockey Federation (FIH) announced the groupings for this year’s World Cup, scheduled to be jointly hosted by Belgium and the Netherlands in August.

According to an official announcement, Pakistan will face India, England and Wales in what is being viewed as one of the most competitive pools of the tournament.

The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF), in a press release issued here on Tuesday, said the groups were finalised following a transparent draw process.

“The Pakistan hockey team has been placed in the challenging Pool ‘D’, where they will face formidable opponents including traditional rivals India, England and Wales,” the PHF stated.

The inclusion of both Pakistan and India in the same pool is expected to generate significant global interest, with the much-anticipated clash between the two sides set to take place at the world level after several years.

Pakistan’s recent struggles and lower international ranking had limited opportunities to face top-ranked teams prior to their participation in this year’s FIH Pro League.

Hockey followers are particularly looking forward to the Pakistan-India encounter, traditionally regarded as one of the sport’s biggest rivalries.

FIH World Cup pools:

Pool ‘A’: Netherlands, Argentina, New Zealand and Japan; Pool ‘B’: Belgium, Germany, France and Malaysia; Pool ‘C’: Australia, Spain, Ireland and South Africa; Pool ‘D’: India, Pakistan England and Wales.

Published in Dawn, March 18th, 2026