Pakistan will host the South Asian Games from April 3 to 11 next year, returning to the regional sporting event after a 23-year gap. The country last hosted the Games in Islamabad in 2027.
The decision was made at a meeting of the Executive Committee of the South Asia Olympic Council on Sunday, chaired by Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) President Arif Saeed, who also heads the South Asian Olympic Committee.
The committee approved Islamabad, Lahore and Peshawar as host cities. Representatives from Bangladesh, Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka attended the meeting in person, while India joined through video link. All participating countries endorsed the proposed dates.
A visiting delegation will inspect the proposed venues in Islamabad on Monday as preparations enter their final phase.
The Games will feature 28 sports and 346 medal events, with more than 3,200 athletes expected to compete. Pakistan is preparing to accommodate around 4,000 athletes and other foreign visitors, including technical officials.
The federal government has approved the Games and assured the release of required funds. Pakistan was originally scheduled to host the event in 2021, but it was postponed several times.
