By Sachit Subba • Off-Field • Aug 24, 2026 03:40 AM • 40 views
Pakistan now holds the rights to host the event. The 14th South Asian Games will take place from 3 to 11 April 2027, with the host country expected to welcome athletes from all over the region for nine days of competition in 28 sports.
The information was obtained from an Executive Committee meeting of the South Asia Olympic Council in Islamabad, where the authorities agreed on both the timetable and the full range of sports. The seven countries expected to send teams are Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Back home, the Games are scheduled for Chaitra 20 to 28, 2083 BS.
Nepal had a place at the meeting where the decision was made. The delegation included Jeevan Ram Shrestha, president of the Nepal Olympic Committee; Chaturananda Raj Vaidya, vice president; and Sikka Suwal Shrestha, a member of the National Sports Council of Nepal and the Steering Committee—all of whom were in Islamabad as details were being finalised.
The range of sports is wide and includes nearly all the events that athletes from the region will have come across in earlier editions. Track and field is at the heart of the programme, along with swimming, archery, badminton, and both kinds of basketball — 3x3 and the more conventional 5x5. Combat and contact sports are also well represented: boxing, fencing, judo, karate, taekwondo, and wushu are included, along with wrestling. The remaining spots are taken by team sports — cricket, football, hockey, handball, rugby, kabaddi and both indoor and beach volleyball. Golf, rowing, shooting, squash, table tennis, tennis, triathlon, weightlifting, billiards and snooker complete the list, making a total of 28 sports.
The organizers have given the Games a message focusing on regional unity. The theme, "Unity in South Asia, Strength in Sports", is accompanied by the slogan "One Spirit, One Region, One Vision" – wording that is clearly intended to present the event as something more than just a contest for medals, and to frame it as an opportunity for South Asia's sporting community to come together under one roof.
For Nepal, the announcement means a timetable is now in motion. With the sports programme established, the national federations now have a clear aim: selection periods, qualification events, and training cycles must align with the early-April 2027 deadline. The same applies to the other six nations taking part, each of which now knows exactly which 28 sports their athletes must be ready for and how much time remains to prepare.
