Tenth National Games scheduled for fifth time, preparations intensify in Karnali

Four postponements have delayed Karnali’s first National Games, but the fifth schedule sets the event for December 2-13, with a Rs 1.594 billion stadium, 32 sports, 13 subcommittees and nearly 4,800 beds identified in Surkhet

Karnali Provincial Stadium. Photo credit: Sushil Khadka

SURKHET: After transferring the turn to Karnali Province at the conclusion of the Ninth National Games held in Pokhara of Gandaki Province in late 2022, hope was raised that the Tenth National Games would be held in Karnali. Immediately after the competition ended, the 115th board meeting of the National Sports Council (NSC) held in Pokhara also decided to conduct the Tenth National Games from November 17 to 24, 2024.

The construction work of the stadium in Surkhet had already moved forward. However, it was not certain whether the infrastructure would be built on time. Due to this uncertainty, doubts arose whether the competition would be held on the specified date.

And that is what happened. The competition scheduled for November 17 to 24, 2024, could not take place. Stating that along with infrastructure, other preparations were also insufficient, the competition was postponed. Not only that, the date for the Tenth National Games was fixed up to three more times after that. Even on the dates fixed for a total of four times, the competition could not be held.

The 125th board meeting of the NSC held on August 13 decided to conduct the competition from December 2 to 13 this year.

After the competition could not be held on the date fixed initially, the decision to hold the competition from April 5 to 12, 2025, was made by the 118th board meeting of the NSC. At that time, stating that the time for preparation was insufficient and the procurement process had not moved forward, the competition was postponed. In fact, until that time, infrastructure construction work remained pending.

The 121st board meeting of the NSC fixed the date to conduct the competition for the third time from May 17 to 24, 2025. At that time, the secretariat of the competition was established, and the logo and mascot were also unveiled. Then Sports Minister Teju Lal Chaudhary came to Surkhet himself and participated in the formal program of establishing the secretariat. However, the competition could not take place.

A meeting of the secretariat convened to discuss the Tenth National Games. Photo courtesy: Karnali Province Sports Development Council

The 123rd meeting of the NSC again decided for the fourth time to conduct the competition from February 13 to 19, 2026. That date was also approved by the Cabinet. After a situation did not arise where such a large sports competition could be held in the month when general elections were taking place, it was postponed again.

Fifth date, intense preparation

Now, the date for the Tenth National Games has been fixed for the fifth time. The 125th board meeting of the NSC held on August 13 decided to conduct the competition from December 2 to 13, 2026. The Karnali Province Sports Development Council claims that it is almost certain the competition will take place on the date fixed for the fifth time.

“The Sports Minister from the Federal Government and the NSC team themselves came and gave their word that the games will be confirmed. After the subcommittee has also been formed, we are confident,” says Rabindra Chand, Member Secretary of the Karnali Province Sports Development Council. The meeting of the Main Organizing Committee of the Tenth National Games was held in Surkhet on Sunday. Minister for Education and Sports Sasmit Pokharel was also present in the meeting. Minister Pokharel, who is also the president of the NSC, urged confidence that the competition will take place on the recently fixed date.

“Since the dates have been postponed repeatedly, it is natural to have doubts even now. Now the preparation for the competition has formally moved forward,” he said in the meeting, “Now there is no need to be in confusion thinking that the Tenth National Games will not happen.”