2021 South Asian Games


The 2021 South Asian Games, officially the XIV South Asian Games, will be a major multi-sport event which will be held in Pakistan in Lahore, as well as Faisalabad, Sialkot and Gujranwala, which are all located in Punjab. The Games are expected to be held in late 2021. This will mark the first time that Pakistan has hosted the South Asian Games since 2004, and the first time that Pakistan has hosted the event outside of Islamabad.

Host selection

In 2019, the Sri Lankan Ministry of Sports announced that Sri Lanka had bid for the 2021 games in a partnership with the Maldives. However, Pakistan was announced as host by the South Asian Olympic Council in December 2019. On 10 December, POA President Arif Hassan received the games flag.

Development and preparation

Venues and infrastructure

It was reported that the Government of Pakistan designated around Rs2 billion for infracstructure. In May 2020, Mardan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, expressed hosting events at a gymnasium, despite not being a host city. It was also reported that the Pakistan Olympic Association intends to organise a football tournament in Karachi, Sindh. In July 2020, it was announced that the federal government had set forth more than Rs3.5 billion for the South Asian Games. Syed Aqil Shah, President of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Olympic Association requested that the POA should include Peshawar as one of the host cities for the Games.

The Games

Participating nations

Seven countries are expected to compete.