Daily Times

The Pakistan Squash Federation (PSF) will host the inaugural U23 World Squash Championship in 2025, marking an exciting milestone for squash in the country.

The event, scheduled to take place from April 6-10, 2025, will feature both men’s and women’s singles tournaments, each with 32 players competing for a share of the $60,000 prize pot and valuable PSA ranking points.

This championship will be the first of its kind, providing an important platform for emerging squash talents from around the world. It will serve as a crucial step for younger players, bridging the gap between the World Junior Squash Championships and senior-level events.

The announcement has been warmly welcomed by William Louis-Marie, CEO of the World Squash Federation (WSF), who highlighted the event’s potential to benefit the global squash community. “The WSF U23 World Squash Championship represents a great development for the global squash community,” he said. “It will give up-and-coming players from all over the world the opportunity to test their skills against the world’s best, as well as provide an invaluable bridge between the WSF World Junior Championships and senior events.”

Kazim Hammad, PSF Senior Vice President, echoed these sentiments, calling the championship a significant step for the sport. “This new initiative will encourage young players to continue training for another 5 years to wear the coveted world crown. In the process there will certainly be a mushroom growth of talent which could have faded away. Pakistan squash will go all out to ensure this new venture is successful.”

Zaheer Ahmad Babar, President of the PSF, expressed pride in Pakistan’s role as the host. “Karachi is a great choice to host the first edition of the championships, with Pakistan famous for producing some of the finest athletes in the history of the sport, including our Emeritus President Jahangir Khan, as well as a promising grassroots scene.” The tournament will not only showcase the emerging stars of the sport but also bolster Pakistan’s reputation as a hub for international squash tournaments. The last time Pakistan hosted a major squash event was in 2005, and now, 20 years later, the country is once again at the centre of the sport’s global stage.

Further details about the tournament will be released closer to the event.