Over 400 athletes from more than 60 countries will descend on Ahmedabad from June 4 to 8 for the inaugural World Yogasana Championships (WYC) 2026, the first global competitive showcase for Yogasana as a sport. The five-day event at the EKA Arena marks a watershed moment in efforts to position the ancient Indian discipline as an internationally recognised sporting category.

Scale and participating nations

Participants will arrive from countries including the United States, Ghana, Kenya, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, and Uzbekistan. Hosts India will field the largest contingent — a 122-member squad — underscoring the home federation's intent to set the early benchmark in a discipline it considers its own export to world sport.

Categories and format

Athletes will compete across six age brackets for both men and women: Sub-Junior (10–14 years), Junior (14–18 years), Senior (18–28 years), Senior A (28–35 years), Senior B (35–45 years), and Senior C (45–55 years). The competition will span individual events, artistic events, and traditional group categories, judged by 32 international and 51 national officials.

Electronic scoring debut

For the first time at a global Yogasana event, organisers will deploy an electronic scoring system — a move aimed at tightening transparency and consistency in judging, long-standing concerns in any subjectively evaluated discipline. The shift mirrors the trajectory of gymnastics and diving, which leaned on technology to legitimise scoring at the international level.

What officials are saying

Yogasana Bharat president Udit Sheth called the championship a pioneering platform for the Indian team and the sport globally. “Delighted to see us hosting this pioneering World Yogasana Championship at Eka Arena, Ahmedabad, with 60-plus countries. It's a fantastic platform for the Indian national team and to take Yogasana sport to the world; perhaps India's greatest contribution to the world of sports,” Sheth said.

World Yogasana general secretary Dr. Jaideep Arya framed the event as a defining moment for the discipline. “The World Yogasana Championship is more than a competition; it is a defining moment in the evolution of Yogasana as a global sport. For the first time, athletes from more than 60 countries will come together on one stage to demonstrate the athleticism, discipline, and artistry that Yogasana represents,” he said.

Institutional backing and broadcast

The championship is supported by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, the Ministry of Ayush, the Sports Authority of India (SAI), the Sports Authority of Gujarat, Gujarat Tourism, and the Gujarat Yogasana Sports Association. The opening ceremony begins on Wednesday, with live coverage on Doordarshan from 9 am to 9 pm IST daily and parallel streaming on the broadcaster's YouTube channel through June 8. The next test will be whether Yogasana converts this debut into a stable global calendar.