Will Pakistan participate in Asian Games 2026?
Arshad Nadeem is Pakistan’s leading athlete
The Asian Games 2026 will take place in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from September 19 to October 4. The 20th edition of the continental tournament will feature almost 11,000 athletes from 46 nations who will compete in 71 disciplines across 43 sports.
Some of the biggest teams in Asia will compete for medals at the Aichi-Nagoya Games. Hosts Japan will be one of the favourites to finish among the top three, along with regional powerhouses China and South Korea.
India, one of six countries to participate in every single edition of the Asian Games, will also look to recreate their impressive outing from the Hangzhou 2022 Games.
Another big sporting nation from the subcontinent, Pakistan, will also be sending their athletes to the Asian Games 2026. The Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) has named a 168-member contingent for the upcoming tournament, featuring 123 men and 45 women.
The Pakistani athletes will compete in 23 disciplines, with the women competing in 14 of them.
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Cricket team, Arshad Nadeem headline Pakistan contingent
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The main focus of Pakistan’s campaign at Aichi-Nagoya will be their cricket team. Both the men’s and women’s cricket teams will compete in the continental tournament. Sahibzada Farhan will be the captain of the men’s cricket team, while Fatima Sana is the skipper of the women’s team.
The country has named a seven-member athletics contingent, headlined by the reigning Olympic javelin champion, Arshad Nadeem. He will be joined by Asian Athletics Championships bronze medallist Muhammad Yasir. Paris 2024 Olympic sprinter Faiqa Raz will compete in the women’s 100m.
The Pakistan men’s hockey team will also take part in the tournament and will hope for a podium finish. The men’s hockey team also secured qualification for the Asian Games 2026.
Fatima Zahra, who was Pakistan’s only medallist at the Commonwealth Games 2026, will compete in the women’s 60kg boxing event. Mahoor Shahzad, the first Pakistani badminton player to compete in the Olympics, will take part in the women’s singles and mixed doubles events.
Noor Zaman, who won silver at the Hangzhou 2022 Games, will lead an eight-member squash team. Kishmala Talat, who won a bronze at the previous Asian Games, is part of the shooting contingent along with three-time Olympian Ghulam Mustafa Bashir.
Will Pakistan participate in the Asian Games 2026?
Yes, Pakistan will send a 168‑member contingent to Aichi‑Nagoya, Japan.
How many athletes are in Pakistan’s Asian Games 2026 squad?
The Pakistani contingent includes 123 men and 45 women competing across 23 disciplines.
Will Pakistan’s cricket teams play at the Asian Games 2026?
Yes, both the men’s cricket team led by Sahibzada Farhan and the women’s cricket team led by Fatima Sana will compete.
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