Pakistan is once again on the international stage as the country competes at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, running from July 23 to August 2. The streamlined Games bring together athletes from across the Commonwealth in a 10-sport programme, staged across four venues within an eight-mile radius of the city. Pakistan is fielding 20 athletes — part of a 36-member contingent that also includes coaches and officials — across six disciplines.
This marks Pakistan’s 15th appearance at the Commonwealth Games since its debut in 1954. The team competes in athletics, boxing, swimming, artistic gymnastics, judo and lawn bowls, with the delegation led by Chef de Mission Major General Adil Rehmani.
Leading the national contingent is Olympic javelin champion Arshad Nadeem, who carried Pakistan’s flag at the opening ceremony. Boxer Fatima Zahra served as Pakistan’s King’s Baton bearer, a fitting nod to the country’s growing presence of female athletes on the international stage.
Athletics Team (7 athletes)
- Arshad Nadeem – Men’s Javelin Throw
- Muhammad Yasir – Men’s Javelin Throw
- Ansar Abbas – Men’s Long Jump
- Muhammad Akhtar – Men’s Mile, 3,000m Steeplechase and 5,000m
- Muhammad Ismail – Men’s 400m
- Faiqa Riaz – Women’s 100m
- Noreen Hussain – Women’s Pole Vault
Arshad Nadeem, the reigning Olympic and Commonwealth champion, is defending the javelin title he won with a 90.18m throw at Birmingham 2022. He arrives in Glasgow fresh off international competition in Switzerland and is expected to headline one of the Games’ marquee events, facing India’s Neeraj Chopra and Paris 2024 bronze medallist Anderson Peters of Grenada.
Boxing Squad (5 boxers: 3 men, 2 women)
- Samama Rehman Butt
- Qudratullah
- Afzal Khan
- Malaika Zahid
- Fatima Zahra
Individual weight categories for the boxers have not been officially confirmed in available reporting, though boxing remains one of the sports where Pakistan has historically produced memorable Commonwealth Games performances.
Swimming (2 men, 2 women)
- Hamza Asif
- Muhammad Ahmad Durrani
- Jehanara Nabi
- Hareem Malik
The quartet is gaining valuable international experience against some of the Commonwealth’s strongest swimming nations.
Other Sports
- Artistic Gymnastics: Shehzad Ali
- Judo: Shah Hussain
- Lawn Bowls: Maqsood Wasim Khan, Muhammad Ayub Qureshi
Though these squads are small, they give Pakistan a foothold in disciplines that continue to grow domestically.
Chasing Commonwealth Success
Glasgow 2026’s slimmed-down programme has dropped nine sports that featured at Birmingham 2022 — including wrestling, hockey, shooting, badminton, cricket, squash, table tennis, rugby sevens, beach volleyball and triathlon — several of which were traditional Pakistani strengths. That has made Arshad Nadeem the clear focal point of the country’s medal hopes. Still, with a mix of experienced competitors and emerging talent, Pakistan’s athletes head into the final days of competition determined to add another chapter to the country’s Commonwealth Games history and inspire the next generation back home.
