National Junior Championship 2026 to begin in Peshawar on June 7

PESHAWAR: Preparations are under way for the National Junior Championship 2026, which is set to open on June 7 at the Qayyum Sports Complex in Peshawar.

Advisor to the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa chief minister on sports and youth affairs Taj Muhammad Khan Tarand announced the details while speaking to the media. He said Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi would formally inaugurate the championship during an opening ceremony on June 7. Director General Sports Tashfeen Haider and Director Operations Jamshaid Baloch were also present at the briefing.

According to Tarand, 952 male and female athletes from the country’s four provinces as well as different government departments will take part in the event. The championship is being organised by the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Directorate General of Sports and will continue for six days.

Events and schedule

The competition will include squash, table tennis, athletics, badminton, karate and volleyball. Separate contests have been arranged for male and female participants in all sports except volleyball, which will only be held in the men’s category.

Squash fixtures will be staged ahead of the formal opening, from June 3 to June 5. The remaining events are scheduled from June 8 to June 10.

Call to young athletes

Tarand urged emerging players to use the championship as a chance to display their abilities and compete for their regions and the country. He said:

This championship is not just a sporting event; it is a vital platform to discover and nurture young talent from across the country.

He added that participants should strive to win honours for their provinces and for Pakistan.

Tarand also said the provincial government, under Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, was committed to ensuring equal and high-standard sports facilities for young people so they could progress at both national and international levels.