Fate of South Asian Games continues to hang in the balance

A high-level meeting is scheduled to take place in the next few days to determine the fate of the 14th South Asian Games which Pakistan is slated to host from January 23 to 31, 2026.

Key issues expected to be discussed include the aftermath of the recent floods and the evolving post-war geopolitical landscape both of which could significantly impact Pakistan's ability to stage the multi-nation event.

“A meeting involving the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC), Pakistan Olympic Association (POA), and Foreign Office will be held soon to review the situation,” a highly credible source close to the development told Nukta on Wednesday.

“Pakistan has been severely affected by heavy floods and the regional geopolitical challenges following recent conflicts are serious concerns. These factors will be weighed carefully before a final decision is made. Whatever the state decides will be implemented accordingly,” the source added.

With just four months remaining, based on the original schedule, preparations appear to be racing against time. However, the source stressed that all stakeholders would evaluate the circumstances thoroughly before arriving at a final decision.

“This is a partnership between the government, sports federations and the POA. We will assess whether it’s feasible to proceed as per the current schedule or if adjustments are necessary. Everything will be clarified in the upcoming meeting,” the source noted.

Encouragingly the source confirmed that all technical preparations are nearly complete.

“All technical matters have been addressed; disciplines have been finalized, technical handbooks have been prepared and 90 percent of the venues have been identified,” the source revealed.

“But ultimately the final decision rests with the government.”

In February this year, a delegation from the South Asian Olympic Council (SAOC) visited Pakistan to assess the preparatory work for the Games. Once venues are officially finalized, SAOC’s venue committee is expected to carry out a customary formal inspection.

This will mark the third time Pakistan hosts the South Asian Games, having previously staged the event in 1989 and 2004, both times in Islamabad. For the 2026 edition, Lahore and Islamabad are designated as the primary host cities while Faisalabad will host the handball events thanks to its state-of-the-art infrastructure that has previously accommodated several international tournaments.

Competitions are planned across 27 sports disciplines, with Lahore serving as the administrative secretariat for the Games.

A major unresolved issue is whether India will participate.

Given the recent hostilities and ongoing tensions between Pakistan and India, it appears increasingly unlikely that India will send its contingent. India has already refrained from allowing its teams to travel to Pakistan for bilateral series or international competitions over the past year. If the situation remains unchanged, the Games could proceed without their most dominant competitor.

Notably, Indian Olympic Association’s (IOA) representative Nazima Khan had virtually attended the SAOC Executive Committee meeting held in Lahore on February 25, chaired by the POA’s President Arif Saeed.

The 27 finalized sports disciplines include:

athletics, archery, aquatics, badminton, basketball (3x3 and 5x5), billiards and snooker, boxing, cricket, football, fencing, golf, handball and beach handball, judo, kabaddi, karate, rugby, shooting, squash, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis, triathlon, volleyball and beach volleyball, weightlifting, wrestling, wushu and rowing.

Rowing, proposed by the host nation, will be included only if it receives confirmation from at least four other National Olympic Committees (NOCs).