Pakistan likely to host South Korea for four-match hockey series in June

LAHORE: Pakistan are expected to host South Korea for a four-match hockey series in the last week of June, shortly after the national team returns from its FIH Pro League tour of Europe, head coach Manzoor-ul-Hasan Senior said on Tuesday.

Speaking on the opening day of the national training camp at the National Hockey Stadium in Lahore, Manzoor said discussions between the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) and the South Korean federation were close to being concluded.

“The negotiations [for the proposed series] are in final stages between the Pakistan Hockey Fed­eration and its South Korean counterpart. Acc­o­rding to the plan, two matches each will be held in Lahore and Isla­mabad,” Manzoor said.

Pakistan are due to play the third leg of their Pro League fixtures in Belgium and England from June 13 to 27. According to the schedule shared by the coach, the side will face Belgium and Spain in Belgium, and then take on England and India in England.

After completing the Pro League assignment, Pakistan will compete in the 16-team World Cup, to be held in Belgium and the Netherlands from Aug 15 to 30. The tournament will mark Pakistan’s return to the World Cup after an absence of eight years.

Training camp begins in Lahore

More than 64 players were initially called up for the first phase of the Pro League camp, but 34 reported on Tuesday. Manzoor said 18 probables are currently involved in league hockey in different countries, one player is injured, and another did not join the camp without giving any explanation.

He said the selection committee, headed by Samiullah Khan, would trim the pool of probables on May 12 and 13. The camp will continue until the team leaves for Belgium.

The coach also outlined the camp schedule. According to him, players will focus on basic training on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, Thursday will be observed as a rest day, and practice matches among the probables will be held from Friday to Sunday. “Overall, the camp probables are showing their talent; We hope [gradually] they will shape up to become international stuff [in time]. Though the Pro League matches will be tough, the coaches will try their best to prepare a strong team to win matches,” the head coach stated.

The ongoing camp is also notable because it is the first hockey activity in Lahore since an ad-hoc setup was imposed on the PHF in February. During that period, the federation had mainly been operating from Islamabad.

Pakistan’s Pro League campaign

Pakistan are featuring in the Pro League for the first time since the competition began in 2019. In the 2025-26 edition so far, the team has lost all eight of its matches. Those defeats came first against Argentina and Holland in Argentina, and later against Australia and Germany in Australia.

Pakistan, ranked 12th in the FIH world team rankings, were included in this season’s Pro League after 11th-ranked New Zealand withdrew because of financial constraints.

Pakistan’s participation has brought them up against some of the world’s leading sides, including the Netherlands, Australia, Belgium, Germany, Spain, England and India. The exposure to top-level opposition is expected to help the team improve over time.