Ahmedabad to Host BRICS Traditional Sports Games 2026

The BRICS Traditional and Indigenous Sports Demonstration Games 2026 will take place in Ahmedabad on 12 and 13 October 2026. Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Dr Mansukh Mandaviya is scheduled to inaugurate the event at Veer Savarkar Sports Complex. The Games are being organised by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports in collaboration with the Gujarat Government under India’s BRICS Chairship 2026.

Event and Participation

The programme will feature traditional and indigenous sporting practices from BRICS member and partner countries in a non-competitive format. Around 2,000 athletes, officials and other participants from nine countries are expected to attend: China, Russia, Iran, Bolivia, Belarus, Ethiopia, South Africa, Brazil and Kazakhstan. Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi, Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports Raksha Nikhil Khadse, and Gujarat Minister of State for Sports Jayram Gamit are also scheduled to attend the inauguration. Bilateral meetings with visiting delegations are planned alongside the Games to discuss sports cooperation within the BRICS framework.

Sports on Display

India’s demonstrations will include Mallakhamb, Yogasana and Kalaripayattu. Mallakhamb is a traditional Indian discipline involving physical feats on a pole or rope. Yogasana is the practice of performing yoga postures and is also organised as a competitive sport in India. Kalaripayattu is a martial art associated with Kerala. Other demonstrations will include Wushu, Capoeira and Sambo. Wushu is a collective term for Chinese martial arts. Capoeira is a Brazilian martial art combining movement, music and elements of dance. Sambo is a martial art and combat sport that originated in the Soviet Union.

BRICS Sports Cooperation

The decision to hold the Games in Ahmedabad was confirmed at the BRICS Sports Ministers’ Meeting in Visakhapatnam on 23 August 2026. The meeting adopted the BRICS Sports Joint Declaration. The event’s stated objectives include cultural exchange, preservation of sporting heritage and interaction among practitioners.

Important Facts for Exams

• The Games are scheduled for 12–13 October 2026 at Veer Savarkar Sports Complex in Ahmedabad.
• The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and the Gujarat Government are organising the event.
• The BRICS Sports Ministers’ Meeting adopted the BRICS Sports Joint Declaration in Visakhapatnam on 23 August 2026.
• India’s demonstrations include Mallakhamb, Yogasana and Kalaripayattu.

The event is scheduled under India’s BRICS Chairship 2026. Its format is non-competitive and centres on demonstrations of traditional and indigenous sports.