Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Mansukh Mandaviya on Monday, 9 November 2026, unveiled the full schedule for the Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG) 2026, confirming Telangana as the host state for the flagship sports ministry event running from 11 to 22 December. The 12-day carnival will feature 27 competitive sports and one demonstration sport, marking the first time Telangana has hosted a Khelo India event.

Scale and Venues

Close to 6,000 athletes and 1,800 support staff are expected to converge on the state for the games. The bulk of the action — 22 medal sports — will be staged at venues in Hyderabad, including the Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium complex in Basheerbagh and the modern Gachibowli sports complex.

The remaining sports will be distributed across five other cities: Khammam (archery), Hanumankonda (athletics), Karimnagar (judo), Nizamabad (table tennis), and Mahbubnagar (kabaddi), spreading the event's footprint across Telangana.

New Additions: Softball and Sailing

Softball will make its debut as a competitive sport in the KIYG programme — a significant inclusion that broadens the games' reach into globally played disciplines. Sailing has also been added for the first time, though it will feature as a demonstration event rather than a medal sport.

Mandaviya linked the sailing inclusion directly to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision for Indian sport. 'Our PM Narendra Modi has said that the sporting ecosystem must expand in such a way that we participate in greater number of sports at the Olympics. PM Modi also said that we must promote sports played using our natural resources like seas and mountains. Sailing is one such sport, and we are extremely happy that our sailors will be part of the Games and help promote their sport,' the minister said.

Asian Games Context and Expectations

'I am very excited to announce the schedule of Khelo India Youth Games 2026. This will kick off a series of Khelo India events that have, over the years provided a platform for talented athletes to showcase their prowess and then traverse on the pathway to excellence through our schemes. Since KIYG are coming at the back of the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, we can expect to see some quality performances,' said Mandaviya.

The timing — coming on the heels of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games — means the KIYG 2026 field could feature athletes riding high on continental competition form, potentially raising the standard of performances across disciplines.

Previous Edition: Maharashtra's Dominance

The Bihar edition of the Khelo India Youth Games, held from 3 to 15 May 2025, saw Maharashtra defend their title by topping the medals tally with 58 gold, 47 silver, and 53 bronze medals — their fifth KIYG title overall and third consecutive. Haryana finished second with 39 gold, 27 silver, and 51 bronze, while Rajasthan claimed third place with 24 gold, 12 silver, and 24 bronze.

Notably, 26 records were created during the Bihar edition, including eight by girl athletes — five of which were national youth records in weightlifting.

Full List of Competitive Sports

The 27 competitive sports for the Telangana edition are: archery, athletics, badminton, basketball, boxing, cycling, fencing, football, gatka, gymnastics, hockey, judo, kabaddi, kalarippayattu, kho-kho, mallakhamb, rowing, shooting, swimming, softball, table tennis, tennis, thang ta, volleyball, weightlifting, wrestling, and yogasana.

With Telangana stepping up as host for the first time and two new sports joining the programme, KIYG 2026 is shaping up as a landmark edition — one that will be watched closely as a talent pipeline ahead of India's Olympic ambitions.