Khelo India Youth Games 2026 to be held in Telangana from December 11 to 22

Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Dr Mansukh Mandaviya on Monday released the full schedule of the Khelo India Youth Games 2026, with the official announcement made today.

The Games will be held in Telangana from December 11 to 22, 2026. It is the first time the event is being held in the state, which will host it. The Government of India has been running several schemes for the development of sport and for athletes over the past few years, and the Games will give players from across the country a chance to show their skills.

According to the information available, about 6,000 athletes and 1,800 support staff from across the country will take part. A total of 27 sports have been included this time: athletics, badminton, basketball, boxing, cycling, fencing, football, gymnastics, hockey, judo, rowing, shooting, swimming, softball, table tennis, tennis, volleyball, weightlifting, wrestling, archery, kabaddi, kho-kho, mallakhamb, yogasana, gatka, kalaripayattu and thang-ta.

The events will be held in Hyderabad and in different districts of Telangana. Some matches will be played at the Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium complex in Basheerbagh and the Modern Gachibowli Sports Complex. Among the districts, athletics will be held in Hanumakonda, kabaddi in Mahabubnagar, table tennis in Nizamabad, archery in Khammam and judo in Karimnagar.

Dr Mandaviya said the Khelo India initiative plays a very important role in spreading sporting culture in the country and in preparing young athletes for upcoming international competitions. He said the Khelo India Youth Games give the country's emerging athletes an international-level platform.

Because Telangana has been given the hosting of the event for the first time, the state's sports infrastructure will get a major boost. The Telangana government and sports administration have made preparations to make the event a success.