LIVE: Pakistan vs China — the Sultan of Johor Cup 2026 starts today

It’s here. After all the build-up, the Sultan of Johor Cup 2026 starts today in Johor Bahru, and Pakistan’s under-21s are the first team on the pitch.

Pakistan v China. Taman Daya Hockey Stadium. Push-back at 2:05 pm Pakistan time. We’ll be updating this page through the match, so keep it open and keep refreshing.

Today’s opening-day fixtures

• Pakistan v China — 2:05 pm PKT
• Japan v Canada — 4:35 pm PKT

Five teams are in Johor this year: Pakistan, hosts Malaysia, China, Canada and Japan. Everybody plays everybody, and the top two at the end of the league stage meet again in the final on Saturday 24 October.

The prize Pakistan have never won

Here’s the thing about this tournament and Pakistan. They’ve been coming to Johor for years, they’ve produced some brilliant junior players here, and they’ve never lifted the trophy. Not once. Their best finish is runners-up, back in 2016.

This squad knows it. A first Johor title is the target, and it starts with getting out of the blocks properly today, because this format punishes a slow start. Four league games, no hiding places.

Pakistan’s squad

The squad below is Pakistan’s official tournament registration with the FIH. Captain Muhammad Ammad leads the side, Syed Hussain is head coach and Ayaz Mahmood is team manager.

Goalkeepers: Ahsan Mahmood (1), Ihtesham Muhammad (12)

Defenders: Asam Haider (2), Muhammad Farooq (13), Sami Ullah (14), Usman Ghani (16), Ali Ansar (27), Ali Hamza (44)

Midfielders: Rana Abdul Sami (8), Muhammad Shaheer (10), Muhammad Yahya Najeeb (17), Saif Ullah (19), Fayyaz Hamza (24)

Forwards: Ghulam Mustafa (7), Adeel (11), Waleed Rana (22), Muhammad Usman (91), Muhammad Ammad (35, captain)

Pakistan’s week in Johor

• Sun 18 Oct: Pakistan v Canada, 2:05 pm PKT
• Wed 21 Oct: Malaysia v Pakistan, 4:35 pm PKT
• Fri 23 Oct: Pakistan v Japan, 2:05 pm PKT
• Sat 24 Oct: 3rd-place match 2:05 pm PKT, final 5:05 pm PKT

The Malaysia game on Wednesday is the one home fans there have circled, and it’ll be loud. But that’s Wednesday. Today’s job is China, and China at junior level are fit, organised and happy to sit in and frustrate. Pakistan need patience and they need their corners to fire early.

How to watch, honestly

We’d rather tell you straight than send you chasing fake links. There is no confirmed international stream for this tournament. In Malaysia, RTM carries the Johor Cup on Sukan RTM (Sukan+) with streaming on RTMKlik, but that coverage is for viewers inside Malaysia and is geo-blocked outside it.

So if you see a random website asking you to create an account, hand over card details or download something to “watch Pakistan v China free”, close it. It’s not the official stream, whatever it claims. Follow the live updates right here instead, and we’ll bring you the goals as they go in.

Live updates

Updates will appear here as the match goes on.

40′ — Pakistan 4-3 China. What a swing. China were 3-2 up and looking comfortable — Liang Haolin scored twice (15′, 18′) either side of Saif Ullah’s opener (13′), and Wang Yubo’s penalty corner (25′) stretched it. Then Pakistan woke up. Muhammad Farooq converted a penalty corner on 30′, and in two mad minutes Rana Waleed (37′) and Hamza Fayyaz (39′) flipped the whole game. One quarter left at Taman Daya, and Pakistan lead.

FULL-TIME — Pakistan 8-3 China. What a way to open a tournament. China led 3-1 through Wang Yubo’s penalty corner (25′), with Liang Haolin scoring twice (15′, 18′) after Saif Ullah’s opener (13′). Then Pakistan just ran away with it: Muhammad Farooq (30′ PC), Rana Waleed (37′), Hamza Fayyaz (39′), Ghulam Mustafa (43′), Muhammad Usman (44′ PC), and Asam Haider twice late on (55′ penalty stroke, 57′ PC). Seven unanswered goals. Pakistan top the table on day one, and tomorrow it’s Canada at 2:05 pm PKT.

Next up for Pakistan were Canada — meet Canada, Pakistan’s second opponents — and we covered that one live too: LIVE Pakistan v Canada. Full background in the tournament guide.