LAHORE: The 14th edition of the South Asian Games will be held in Pakistan from March 23 to 31 next year, it was decided at a meeting of South Asian federations held the other day in Tashkent.
“After extensive deliberations, the meeting unanimously decided that the South Asian Games would be scheduled from 23 to 31 March 2027. The meeting further authorized the Pakistan Olympic Association/NOC Pakistan to make adjustments to the schedule within the same time window, with flexibility of up to one week, if this may be necessary for operational or logistical reasons,” read a press release issued by the Pakistan Olympic Association on Tuesday (POA).
The meeting was held in the capital of Uzbekistan on the sidelines of the 46th General Assembly of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA).
“At the start of the meeting, the South Asian Olympic family extended its warm congratulations to Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani on his successful and unanimous election as OCA President,” the press release added.
“The meeting was chaired by HRH Prince Jigyel Ugyen Wangchuck, OCA Vice President for South Asia, and was attended by the Presidents and/or Secretaries General of the National Olympic Committees of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.”
India’s participation in the South Asian Games will depend on the stance of its government, which has avoided sending sports teams to Pakistan in recent years due to political tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.
“Arif Saeed, President of Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) and South Asia Olympic Council (SAOC), participated in the meeting with Mohyuddin Ahmad Wani, Federal Secretary, Ministry of Sports, Government of Pakistan,” the press release further said.
It was also agreed by all countries that the disciplines and tests would remain the same as those already finalized during the SAOC Executive Committee meeting held in February last year in Lahore.
Furthermore, South Asian countries agreed to begin further deliberations on developing a more sustainable and future-oriented sports model in South Asia, with a focus on long-term regional cooperation and effective organization of multi-sport events.
“During the meeting, Mohyuddin invited South Asian countries to visit Pakistan in May 2026, with a view to continuing consultations, reviewing and monitoring the progress of preparations for the South Asian Games (2027) and strengthening regional collaboration in sports,” the POA press release concluded.
Published in Dawn, January 28, 2026
