Arslan Ash came to the Esports World Cup 2026 in Paris expecting to win. The eight-time EVO champion reached the final stages of the Tekken 8 tournament, but a narrow semifinal defeat to fellow Pakistani M. Zubair ended his championship run before he then fell to Yagami in the third-place match. For a player accustomed to competing for titles, fourth place was difficult to immediately process.
“My aim was to win,” Arslan said after the tournament. “When I got sent to losers, when I got eliminated, I think I lost my goal, and I couldn’t perform well in the third match for third place.”
The semifinal proved to be one of the defining matches of the tournament. Zubair and Arslan pushed the series all the way to a deciding game before Zubair eventually prevailed 5-4. Zubair then carried that momentum into the Grand Final, defeating South Korea’s LowHigh 5-0 to become EWC champion.
For Arslan, the disappointment of his own result came with the satisfaction of seeing another Pakistani player take the title. “I always say that Pakistan is the best,” he said. “I think I was the only person who continuously was saying Pakistan is the best region in the world.”
“I am happy that Zubair won and a Pakistani won.”
The result added weight to something Arslan has repeatedly said about Pakistan’s Tekken scene goes far beyond one player. Zubair’s run through Paris, culminating in victory over one of the game’s most decorated competitors, provided another example of the depth available within the Pakistani scene. Arslan pointed to players such as Usama, Zubair and Kashif when discussing the level of talent now emerging internationally.
“Maybe I play a small part, but I think because of me, you can see other people shine and play and win,” he said. “There are a lot of people. They are so talented, all of them.” That pride did not reduce his own competitive ambition.
“But I still want to win, of course,” Arslan added. “I’m still in the race.”
The loss also offered a glimpse into how one of Tekken’s most successful players deals with defeat. Rather than immediately moving on to another competition, Arslan said he intends to take some time away before returning to practice. “I’m not gonna jump into the next tournament,” he said. “I think it’s gonna take me like a week or something.”
“This is not the end of the world. It’s just one event. There will be next year EWC and Tekken World Tour Finals. There will be more events coming up.”
That perspective is important in a competitive calendar where elite players can move from one major tournament to another with little time to recover. Arslan acknowledged the frustration of losing while keeping his attention on the opportunities still ahead. “Maybe this was not in my destiny this year,” he said. “Inshallah, next year I’m gonna work more hard.”
The tournament also reignited a discussion around Tekken 8’s competitive balance, particularly Dragunov. Zubair used the character during his championship run, and Arslan was clear about how strongly he currently rates him. Asked whether he might consider adding another character to his own arsenal, Arslan joked: “Maybe Dragunov.”
“I think that character is just too much,” he continued. “You just have to wait for one-two, one-two, one-two, and then you’re dead.” Arslan specifically highlighted Dragunov’s ten-frame Heat Engager as something he believes needs to be addressed. His wider assessment of Tekken 8 was more positive, although he still sees areas that require adjustment.
“I think Heat is kind of okay right now, but there’s still stuff like ten-frame Heat Engagers left,” he said. “I think these things need to go.” “When you enter into the Heat, there’s a lot of casinos still happening. I don’t know what direction Bandai Namco is gonna take, but I still feel like the game is going in the right direction.”
Paris therefore ended with contrasting emotions for Arslan. He missed out on the championship he travelled to win, but watched another Pakistani player take the trophy after beating him in one of the tournament’s closest matches.
For Arslan, there is little suggestion that the defeat will linger beyond the time needed to process it. Addressing those who supported him throughout the tournament, he was already looking toward another attempt.
“I’m so grateful for all of your support,” he said. “Inshallah, next year I’m gonna win. I’m gonna work hard, and Inshallah, with your support, I will win next year.” Perhaps the clearest indication of his mindset came in his final reflection on the result.
“If I had won this year, I was like, okay, I have done everything,” Arslan said. “But I think there is still drive, there is still motivation in me to win more.”
