The Pakistan national hockey team faced a humiliating ordeal in Canberra on February 12, spending hours on the streets after discovering that no hotel bookings had been made for them, highlighting ongoing administrative and financial issues within the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF).
The team, in Australia for the second leg of the FIH Pro League 2026 in Hobart, had been informed that they were booked into a four-star hotel in Canberra, with all payments reportedly handled in advance by the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) and the PHF. A source told PTI:
“Apparently the players and officials were booked in a four-star hotel and were told that all payments for their stay had been made.”
However, the situation quickly turned chaotic upon the team’s arrival. It is reported that after a grueling nearly 24-hour journey from Lahore, players and officials were met with the shocking news that no reservations existed. Head coach Tahir Zaman struggled to contact officials in Pakistan due to the time difference, leaving the team without any immediate shelter.
“For five to six hours, the players had nowhere to stay and had to spend time on the roads of Canberra,” the source said.
“Local Pakistani residents and officials eventually arranged emergency accommodation at the same hotel, but due to the last-minute nature of the booking, three players had to share a single room.”
This is not the first time the Pakistan hockey team has faced financial and administrative difficulties while competing abroad. It is reported that during the opening leg of the FIH Pro League in Argentina, players were reportedly denied daily allowances, leaving them struggling to cover basic expenses while representing their country on foreign soil.
The Canberra incident has sparked criticism of the PHF and raised questions about the management of Pakistan’s national sport. Analysts note that repeated organisational failures not only embarrass the team internationally but also risk the morale and performance of the players, who are competing against top-ranked sides such as Australia and Germany in the Hobart leg of the Pro League.
Adding to the team’s challenges, the squad travelled to Canberra without a manager, after former Olympian Anjum Saeed, the regular team manager, was removed from the trip by the PHF following an altercation during a previous journey.
“The players had little choice but to wait outside until accommodation was arranged. Some local Pakistanis in Canberra helped them eventually,” the source said.
“Because of unavailability of sufficient rooms, two to three players shared a room and went straight to play the next day.”
Yesterday, Australia dominated Pakistan in Hobart, controlling possession and tempo from the start. Blake Govers opened the scoring in the 14th minute and added a second from a stroke in the third quarter, while Jack Welch finished a team move to make it 3-0. Pakistan’s quick “ping pong” style was largely stifled, with their defence under constant pressure. Despite late efforts, they couldn’t break through Australia’s organised defence. The win gave the Kookaburras a second consecutive clean sheet, with goalkeeper Magnus McCausland earning his first international shutout, as Australia built momentum in the Pro League.
With back-to-back stages of the FIH Pro League taking place in Australia for the first time in history, and matches scheduled at the Aurora Energy Tasmanian Hockey Centre between February 10–25, the Pakistani team faces a demanding schedule under challenging circumstances.
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