Press Conference about the recent meeting of the South Asia Olympic Council (SAOC) and the preparations for the 14th South Asian Games (SAG)
August 26, 2026
Nepal Olympic Committee (NOC) organized a press conference to brief the media on the decisions made during the recent meeting of the South Asia Olympic Council (SAOC) and the preparations for the 14th South Asian Games (SAG), scheduled to be hosted by Pakistan in 2027.
Executive Board Members of the Nepal Olympic Committee were present on the panel during the press conference. NOC Secretary General Mr. Rajiv Shrestha read out the official press release and informed members of the media about the major decisions and developments concerning the upcoming Games. NOC President Mr. Jeevan Ram Shrestha subsequently answered questions raised by members of the media.
A Nepali delegation comprising NOC President Jeevan Ram Shrestha, NOC Vice President Mr. Chaturananda Raj Vaidya, and National Sports Council Executive Board Member Ms. Sikka Suwal Shrestha participated in the SAOC meeting held in Islamabad, Pakistan, on August 23 and 24, 2026.
The meeting focused on preparations for the 14th South Asian Games and discussed various important organizational matters. The press conference was organized to share the outcomes and decisions of the meeting with the media and the public.
The meeting decided that the 14th South Asian Games will be held from Chaitra 20 to 28, 2083 BS, with Pakistan hosting the Games in three cities—Islamabad, Lahore and Peshawar.
28 Sports and 346 Medal Events
The Games will feature a total of 28 sports, with men's and women's events to be organized in 25 sports. The sports programme includes Athletics, Aquatics (Swimming), Archery, Badminton, Basketball (3x3 and 5x5), Billiards and Snooker, Boxing, Cricket, Fencing, Football, Golf, Handball/Beach Handball, Hockey, Judo, Kabaddi, Karate, Rowing, Rugby, Shooting, Squash, Table Tennis, Taekwondo, Tennis, Triathlon, Volleyball/Beach Volleyball, Weightlifting, Wrestling and Wushu.
Women's events will not be included in Billiards, Hockey, Rugby and Beach Volleyball.
A total of 346 medal events will be contested, with athletes competing for 346 gold, 346 silver and 515 bronze medals.
More Than 4,000 Participants Expected
According to the preliminary list, the Games are expected to bring together a total of 4,191 participants, including 3,172 athletes and 1,019 officials.
The estimated participation includes:
Nepal: 532 athletes and 153 officials
Pakistan: 670 athletes and 202 officials
Sri Lanka: 670 athletes and 251 officials
Bangladesh: 482 athletes and 122 officials
India: 472 athletes and 202 officials
Maldives: 261 athletes and 68 officials
Bhutan: 85 athletes and 21 officials
Games Across Three Pakistani Cities
The 14th SAG will be organized in three cities, with 15 sports in Islamabad, 10 sports in Lahore and three sports in Peshawar.
The Opening Ceremony will be held at the Jinnah Stadium in Islamabad, which has the capacity to accommodate approximately 50,000 spectators.
SAOC Coordination Committee Formed Under NOC President
The SAOC meeting also decided to form a SAOC Coordination Committee under the coordination of NOC President Mr. Jeevan Ram Shrestha.
The committee will include the Secretaries General of Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Bhutan, along with representatives of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA). It is the first time in the history of the South Asian Games that such a committee has been formed.
The committee will coordinate with the host country's National Olympic Committee and the Government of Pakistan and support efforts to ensure the timely and successful organization of the Games.
During the visit, the SAOC delegation also met with the Chair of the Prime Minister's Youth Programme at the Office of the Prime Minister of Pakistan. Discussions were held regarding the successful organization of the 14th South Asian Games within the scheduled timeframe, with the Pakistani side assuring the delegation of its commitment to hosting the Games on time.
The SAOC representatives also inspected sports venues in Islamabad that will host competitions during the Games.
The NOC's earlier proposal to establish the permanent secretariat of the South Asia Olympic Council in Nepal remains in place. Similarly, Nepal's proposal that the South Asian Games should be organized before the Asian Games also continues to remain under consideration.
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Summer Youth Olympic Games, Dakar