Pakistan have already opened their medal account at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, and the country’s growing esports contingent, led by Tekken stars Atif Butt and The Jon, could add to that tally in the days ahead.
Asim Khan secured Pakistan’s first medal of the Games on Monday, taking bronze in the men’s Modern MMA -60kg category.
Pakistan’s men’s cricket team has received a direct berth into the quarter-finals, alongside India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, skipping the group stage entirely. Sahibzada Farhan leads the squad, with the quarter-final scheduled for September 28 at Korogi Athletic Park. Pakistan and India have been kept apart in the draw and can only meet in the semi-finals or the medal matches, meaning a clash is possible only in the gold or bronze-medal fixture.
Given Pakistan’s seeded position and squad depth, a medal, silver, bronze or even gold, remains a realistic target.
Hockey has traditionally been one of Pakistan’s most reliable medal sports at the Asian Games, and the team goes into this edition as a genuine contender for a podium finish, with a silver or bronze considered well within reach.
Pakistan’s PUBG Mobile scene has been in outstanding form heading into the Games. 4Thrives Walee, the country’s leading squad, won the PUBG Mobile Global Open (PMGO) 2026 Season 2 South Asia Finals in Kathmandu on September 19, their second consecutive regional title of the year, having also claimed the PMGO Season 1 South Asia and global titles earlier in 2026.
The sustained run of form gives Pakistan a strong platform heading into the PUBG Mobile event at the Asian Games, with a silver or even gold considered achievable.
Noor Zaman, who carried Pakistan’s flag at the opening ceremony on September 19 alongside cricket captain Fatima Sana, enters the men’s singles squash competition as the third seed behind Malaysia’s Eain Yow Ng and India’s Abhay Singh. Zaman was part of the Pakistan team that won silver at the 2022 Asian Games and has already won the Under-23 World Championship.
Alongside Ashab Irfan, he represents Pakistan’s best chance of a squash medal in Nagoya.
Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem remains Pakistan’s biggest individual hope for a gold medal, with the javelin final scheduled for September 28. Nadeem won bronze at the 2018 Asian Games but missed the 2023 Hangzhou edition through injury, and his recent form has been mixed. He finished fifth at the World Athletics Ultimate Championship earlier this month with a throw of 81.49 metres, well short of the 91.09 metres that saw Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage take the title.
The two are expected to renew their rivalry in Nagoya, with Nadeem looking to rediscover his best form on the biggest stage.
Pakistan’s esports challenge will lean heavily on its Tekken talent, with Atif Butt and The Jon both heading to Japan for the tournament. Butt, a former Tekken World Tour Finals champion who competes for Team Falcons, has been one of the most consistent players in the world over the past two seasons, with multiple runner-up finishes at EVO and the Esports World Cup.
The Jon has also represented Pakistan at the highest level of team competition, including the country’s win over South Korea in the Tekken 8 team event in Seoul.
