Preparations are underway in Peshawar as the Junior Championship 2026 prepares to open on June 7 at Qayyum Sports Complex, with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi set to inaugurate the event. The championship will bring together 952 male and female athletes from all four provinces and several government departments, offering a major platform for emerging talent from across Pakistan.
The Directorate General of Sports Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is organising competitions across squash, table tennis, athletics, badminton, karate and volleyball. Separate events for men and women have been arranged in each sport, while volleyball will feature men’s teams only. Squash contests will take place from June 3 to June 5, and other sports will be contested from June 8 to June 10.
Adviser to the Chief Minister on Sports and Youth Affairs, Taj Muhammad Khan Tarand, emphasised that the Junior Championship is a valuable opportunity for young athletes to showcase their abilities and pursue excellence. He encouraged participants to give their best and said the provincial government under Chief Minister Sohail Afridi is committed to using available resources to expand equal sporting opportunities for youth.
Director General Sports Tashfeen Haider and Director Operations Jamshed Baloch attended the preparatory briefing and highlighted the organisational arrangements for the multi-sport event. Officials stressed that the championship will not only decide winners but also help identify talent that can be nurtured for higher levels of competition.
The opening ceremony on June 7 at Qayyum Sports Complex will be attended by athletes and officials from across the country, and competitions will follow immediately after. With nearly a thousand participants, the Junior Championship 2026 aims to bring promising young sportspeople into the spotlight and strengthen the pipeline of talent for provincial and national teams.
