KARACHI: Pakistan will host its most lucrative squash tournament in over two decades to start the year 2026, marking a major step in the sport’s return to a country that once dominated the global game.
The Karachi Open, a PSA World Tour Gold event offering a total prize purse of around $243,000, will be held 6-11. January at the DA Creek Club – the venue that previously held the U23 WC in April this year. It is the first top class PSA event in Pakistan in two decades.
The men’s and women’s competitions will each carry prize money of $121,500. Organizers said five of the world’s top 10 male players and three of the top 10 women have signed, underscoring Pakistan’s resurgence as a viable destination for elite squash.
Former world champion and current world No. 5 Karim Abdel Gawad of Egypt will lead the men’s draw as the top seed. Gawad is chasing his third title on Pakistani soil, having previously won the Pakistan Open in 2018 and the Karachi Open in 2022. His eight-match winning streak in Karachi makes him one of the clear favourites.
World No. 7 Marwan ElShorbagy is seeded second, followed by World No. 6 Youssef Ibrahim and former World No. 1 Mohamed ElShorbagy, who now represents England. World No. 11 Mohamed Zakaria completes the top six seeds.
Pakistan will be represented by rising Under-23 World Champion Noor Zaman along with Muhammad Ashab Irfan, Tayyab Aslam and Nasir Iqbal. Tayyab and Nasir are wildcard entrants to the tournament.
In the women’s field, Egypt’s world No. 3 and reigning world junior champion Amina Orfi headlines the draw. Malaysia’s world No. 6 Sivasangari Subramaniam is the second seed, while Egypt’s world No. 9 Fayrouz Aboelkheir is the third seed. Local wild cards Sana Bahadar and Mariam Malik will compete in the main draw.
The event marks Pakistan’s most expensive squash tournament since the 2003 World Open in Lahore, which had a purse of $175,000. Karachi has slowly rebuilt its presence on the international circuit and will host the U23 World Cup in April with $60,000 in prize money.
For Pakistan, once home to legends like Jahangir Khan and Jansher Khan, the return of high-profile PSA events highlights the investment in the sport. Officials hope the PSA World Tour Gold tournament Karachi Open will speed up the revival of competitive squash in a country seeking to reconnect with its storied past.
