Peshawar: The Teqball Challenger Cup 2026 officially commenced at the National Teqball Academy, Peshawar Sports Complex, under the auspices of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Teqball Association in collaboration with the Directorate General of Sports Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the Pakistan Teqball Federation.
The tournament was inaugurated by Additional Deputy Commissioner Peshawar and President of the Bannu Division Teqball Association, Asghar Sorani. Vice Presidents of the KP Teqball Association, Shafiq Ahmad and Akhtar Rasool, along with other officials, attended the opening ceremony.
The championship features Professional Singles, Amateur Singles, and Women’s Singles competitions. Amateur players from across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are competing alongside Pakistan’s top nationally and internationally ranked Teqball athletes, making the event one of the country’s strongest national tournaments.
Addressing the ceremony, Pakistan Teqball founder Mian Absar Ali welcomed participants from Peshawar, Khyber, Bannu, Swat, Mardan, Kohat, Chitral, and Swabi. He said the growing popularity of Teqball in the province reflects the sport’s bright future and that emerging talent will strengthen Pakistan’s presence on the international stage.
On the opening day, Hassan (Peshawar) defeated Zia (Mardan) 2-1 in a thrilling three-set Professional Singles match to advance to the next round. Bilal (Khyber) overcame Ahmad (Peshawar), while Qaiser (Kohat) defeated Nabeel (Bannu). In the Women’s Singles category, Safa beat Sadaf and Rebecca defeated Nida to secure places in the next stage.
Organizers said the championship is an important platform for preparing Pakistan’s national team for upcoming international events, including the Asian Games Japan 2026, the 6th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games Riyadh 2026, and the Teqball World Championship 2026, while also identifying new talent for future competitions.
Shafiq Ahmad also reaffirmed continued support for Pakistani players participating in international events and thanked One Life Beverages Pakistan, the tournament’s official refreshment partner, for supporting the athletes and officials throughout the championship.
