Pakistan will send a contingent of more than 80 athletes to the sixth World Nomad Games 2026, scheduled to be held in Kyrgyzstan from August 31 to September 6, 2026. Horseback archery pioneer Aurangzeb Mubashar expressed confidence that the country’s athletes can challenge for medals across multiple disciplines.
World Nomad Games: A Global Platform for Traditional Sports
The World Nomad Games, widely regarded as the world’s premier festival of traditional sports and nomadic culture, will return to Kyrgyzstan, the birthplace of the event, after previous editions in Türkiye and Kazakhstan. The opening ceremony will be held in Bishkek, while the main competitions will take place in the Issyk-Kul region. Organisers expect participation from more than 90 countries, with over 3,000 athletes competing across dozens of traditional sports.
Pakistan’s Delegation and Disciplines
Pakistan’s delegation will compete in a range of disciplines, including traditional strength sports such as mass wrestling, arm wrestling, tug of war and strongman events. The country will also participate in intellectual games including Toguz Korgool, Mangala and Oware, as well as traditional archery and horseback archery.
Leadership and Experience
Aurangzeb Mubashar, President of Pakistan Horse and Mounted Archery Federation, will lead the delegation. An alumnus of Aitchison College, where he learned horseback riding in a professional way, Aurangzeb has represented Canada in horseback archery for four years before competing for Pakistan at recent editions of the World Nomad Games. “We are hopeful that Pakistani athletes will perform to the best of their abilities and bring medals home for the country,” Aurangzeb said.
Preserving Nomadic Heritage
He described the Games as a unique global platform dedicated to preserving and promoting traditional sports and cultural heritage. Organised under the umbrella of the World Ethnosport movement, the event has grown significantly since its launch in 2014 and now features sports, cultural festivals, exhibitions and international forums celebrating nomadic traditions.
Alignment with World Ethnosport Movement
Aurangzeb also praised the leadership of the World Ethnosport movement especially its president Necmettin Bilal Erdoğan and commended his efforts to support countries in developing traditional sports. “Our mission is aligned with theirs, that is to preserve, promote and expand traditional games across the world,” he said. “Whether it is horseback archery, wrestling, tug of war, arm wrestling or traditional mind sports, we want to ensure these historic disciplines continue to thrive for future generations.”
Hopes for a Strong Performance
With one of its largest-ever contingents preparing for the Games, Pakistan hopes to make a strong impact both competitively and culturally on one of the world’s fastest-growing traditional sports stages. It is hoped that Pakistan’s athletes will return home with medals around their necks, bringing pride and honour to the nation through their performances.
