Pakistan announce 36-member contingent for 2026 Commonwealth Games

LAHORE: Pakistan have finalised a 36-member contingent, comprising athletes and officials, for the 2026 Commonwealth Games, which will be held in Glasgow, Scotland, from 23 July to 2 August.

Major General Adil Rehmani has been appointed Chef de Mission of the Pakistan contingent. The country will compete in six sports: athletics, boxing, swimming, gymnastics, judo and lawn bowls.

Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem will lead Pakistan's athletics squad alongside Faiqa Riaz, Ansar Abbas, Muhammad Akhtar, Muhammad Ismail, Muhammad Yasir and Noreen Hussain.

The boxing squad includes Afzal Khan, Fatima Zahra, Malaika Zahid, Qudratullah and Samama Rehman Butt. Shehzad Ali will represent Pakistan in gymnastics, while Shah Hussain will compete in judo.

Pakistan's lawn bowls team consists of Maqsood Wasim Khan and Muhammad Ayub Qureshi, while the swimming squad features Hamza Asif, Hareem Malik, Jehanara Nabi and Muhammad Ahmad Durrani.

Since making their Commonwealth Games debut in 1954, Pakistan have won 82 medals, including 27 gold, 27 silver and 28 bronze. Pakistan produced their best Commonwealth Games performance in 50 years at the 2022 edition in Birmingham.

A 68-member athlete contingent competed across 12 sports, with the country finishing 18th in the medal standings after securing eight medals—two gold, three silver and three bronze.

Arshad Nadeem claimed gold in the men's javelin throw with a Games record of 90.18 metres, earning Pakistan's first Commonwealth track and field gold medal since 1962.

Meanwhile, Nooh Dastgir Butt won gold in the men's +109kg weightlifting event after setting a Commonwealth Games record with a total lift of 405kg.

Pakistan's wrestling team added three silver medals through Muhammad Inam in the men's freestyle 86kg, Zaman Anwar in the men's freestyle 125kg and Muhammad Sharif Tahir in the men's freestyle 74kg.