Sport in Pakistan
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Sport in Pakistan is a significant part of Pakistani culture. Cricket is the most popular sport in Pakistan. Football has also gained popularity in recent years, and is the second most popular sport in the country. Field hockey is the national sport, and was popular for several decades, with some of Pakistan's greatest sporting accomplishments having taken place in this sport, along with squash. Polo and traditional sports like kabaddi, Tent pegging and other well-known games are also played.
In cricket, the country has had an array of success over the years, and has the distinct achievement of having won each of the major ICC international cricket tournaments: ICC Cricket World Cup, ICC World Twenty20, and ICC Champions Trophy; as well as the ICC Test Championship. The Pakistan Super League ranks among the top T20 leagues globally.
Football in Pakistan is as old as the country itself. Shortly after the creation of Pakistan in 1947, the Pakistan Football Federation was created, and the nation's founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah became its first Patron-in-Chief. The highest football division in the country is the Pakistan Premier League. Pakistan is known as one of the best manufacturers of the official FIFA World Cup ball.
In field hockey, Pakistan is one of the most successful national teams with a record four Hockey World Cup wins, eight Asian Games gold medals, three gold medals at the Olympic Games, and the only Asian team to have won the prestigious Champions Trophy three times.
Pakistan's Jahangir Khan is widely regarded as the greatest squash player of all time, followed by his compatriot Jansher Khan. From 1981 to 1986, Jahangir was unbeaten and during that time won 555 consecutive matches – the longest winning streak by any athlete in top-level professional sport, as recorded by Guinness World Records.
In Northern Pakistan, the annual Shandur Polo Festival at Shandur Top is an international event attended by enthusiasts from all over the world. The Shandur polo ground at Shandur Pass is the world's highest, at approximately 3,734 metres (12,251 ft).
The Pakistan Sports Board was established in 1962 as a corporate body to promote and develop uniform standards of competition in sports in Pakistan, and regulating and controlling sports in Pakistan on a national basis. The Pakistan Sports Board is supported by the Pakistan Sports Trust, which assists hard-up players and associations so they can continue participating in sports in the Olympic Games, Asian Games, World Games, and Commonwealth Games.
Pakistan has hosted several major international sporting events across multiple disciplines. At the global level, it co-hosted the 1987 Cricket World Cup and 1996 Cricket World Cups, hosted the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy, and the 1990 Hockey World Cup, finishing runners-up after losing 3–1 to the Netherlands in the final. Pakistan also hosted the 1984 Squash World Open and later editions in 1993 in Karachi and 1996 and 2003 in Lahore. At the continental level, Pakistan hosted the 2008 Asia Cup and co-hosted the 2023 Asia Cup in cricket, the 1982 Hockey Asia Cup, the 1984 Asian Table Tennis Championships, and the 1981 and 1988 Asian Wrestling Championships. The country also hosted multiple editions of the Hockey Champions Trophy in 1978, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1992, 1994, 1998, and 2004. National Hockey Stadium in Lahore is considered to be the largest international field hockey stadium in the world, and holds a capacity of 45,000 spectators. Pakistan has hosted several major regional and multi-sport events, including the South Asian Games in 1989 and 2004, and is scheduled to host the 2027 edition. It also hosted the 1993 SAARC Gold Cup and the 2005 SAFF Gold Cup. Jinnah Stadium in Islamabad has long served as the primary home ground of the Pakistan national football team and hosted the 2014 SAFF Women's Championship. Pakistan has also hosted notable international qualifiers and championships, including the 2025 Women's Cricket World Cup Qualifier and the 2025 SAAF Cross Country Championships.