Pakistan’s Muhammad Zubair stuns Tekken 8 world championship in Paris

PARIS: Pakistan’s Muhammad Zubair has pulled off a remarkable victory at the Esports World Cup in Paris, defeating South Korea’s LowHigh to claim the Tekken 8 world championship and put Pakistan firmly in the global esports spotlight.

Zubair completed a dominant run at the tournament, held from August 5 to 8, despite narrowly surviving the early stages. His breakthrough came when the competition entered its decisive phase, where he produced one impressive performance after another.

In the second group stage on Friday, Zubair defeated fellow Pakistani star Arslan “Ash” Siddique, one of the biggest names in the international Tekken scene.

The two met again in Saturday’s semifinal, producing a tense battle that went down to the wire. Zubair eventually edged Ash 5-4, earning his place in the grand final.

But the final proved to be a completely different story.

Facing LowHigh, Zubair showed little sign of nerves and delivered a commanding 5-0 sweep to secure the championship. The emphatic victory transformed what had initially looked like an unlikely run into a memorable world title.

The Esports World Cup celebrated the upset on social media, posting: “He came out of nowhere and took the crown!”

Zubair’s victory also came with a substantial financial reward. The newly crowned world champion received $250,000 in prize money.

For Arslan Ash, the tournament ended with a fourth-place finish after he lost the third-place decider against Australia’s Yagami. Despite the disappointment, Ash remains one of Pakistan’s most celebrated esports players.

The Lahore-born star had entered the EWC after winning the 2026 Evo championship in Las Vegas in June. The victory marked his fourth consecutive Evo title, further cementing his status as one of the world’s leading Tekken competitors.

Zubair’s triumph now adds another major chapter to Pakistan’s growing esports story. His victory against two established international names — and particularly his semifinal win over Ash — demonstrates the depth of Pakistan’s talent in competitive fighting games.

The Esports World Cup features some of the biggest titles in competitive gaming, including Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2, League of Legends, Street Fighter and Valorant.

For Pakistan, however, the biggest moment in Paris belonged to Zubair.

After surviving the early rounds, overcoming his country’s biggest Tekken star and then sweeping a world-class South Korean opponent, Muhammad Zubair left the tournament not merely as a contender — but as the new Tekken 8 world champion.