KUALA LUMPUR, March 8 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim congratulated the national men's hockey squad, The Speedy Tigers, for successfully securing their berth at the 2026 World Cup, set to be co-hosted by the Netherlands and Belgium.
In a Facebook post today, Anwar praised the team's achievement, attributing it to their relentless hard work, high discipline and extraordinary fighting spirit, both from the players and the coaching staff.
"However, I believe there is still room for The Speedy Tigers to refine their game and enhance their performance ahead of the World Cup stage," he said.
The Prime Minister concluded by rallying the nation, saying, "All Malaysians will certainly continue to provide you with their unwavering support and encouragement."
This celebration comes on the back of a dramatic turn of events. On Saturday, the national squad suffered a narrow 4-5 loss to Japan in the third-place playoff of the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers in Ismailia, Egypt.
Despite the defeat on the pitch, Malaysia is now poised to qualify based on the latest world rankings. The team’s current world number 15 position places them above Wales (16th) and Poland (20th), both of whom were competing in the third-place playoff of another qualifying round, effectively securing Malaysia's ticket to the global tournament.
-- BERNAMA
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