The Youth Under-18 National Hockey Championship 2026, being organized by the Pakistan Hockey Federation, witnessed thrilling quarterfinal encounters at the Naseer Bunda Hockey Stadium, with Pakistan Customs, Punjab-2, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), and Pakistan Army advancing to the semifinals.
In the first quarterfinal, Pakistan Customs outclassed Punjab-1 with a convincing 6-2 victory. Assam Haider led the charge with a brace, while Abdullah, Usman, Yahya, and Umar contributed one goal each. For Punjab-1, Waqas and Ali managed to score one goal apiece.
The second quarterfinal saw Punjab-2 dominate Punjab-3, registering a comprehensive 6-0 win. Abu Sufyan and Farhan scored two goals each, while Hanain and Abdul Sami added one goal each to seal an emphatic victory.
The third quarterfinal between Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab-4 turned out to be a closely contested affair, ending 2-2 in regulation time. Pakhtunkhw eventually triumphed 2-1 in the penalty shootout to secure their place in the semifinals.
In the fourth quarterfinal, Pakistan Army displayed exceptional form, thrashing Azad Jammu and Kashmir 10-0. Muzammil Saeed scored a hat-trick, while Shoaib and Hassan netted two goals each. Bilal Umair and Ammar added one goal each to complete the rout.
A large number of hockey enthusiasts and officials witnessed the matches.
The championship, featuring 16 teams from across the country, will continue until April 19, with the top teams competing for the coveted title.