The National Games 2023 is being in Goa from October 26 to November 9 and will witness the participation of more than 10,000 athletes from across the country who will compete in over 43 sports disciplines across 28 venues.

This will be the 37th edition of the National Games which are India’s own Olympic-style multi-sport event where athletes from the various states and Union Territories as well as Services Sports Control Board (SSCB)  compete for medals. 

Goa is hosting the National Games for the first time in its history. The state was awarded the hosting rights for the 36th edition, initially scheduled for 2016. However, after multiple postponements, the event was hosted by Gujarat in 2022.

The National Games were first held in Lahore, undivided India, in 1924 and were known as the Indian Olympic Games until 1938.

This year’s National Games will have a record number of 43 sports, including Olympic and indigenous sports. Last year, over 7,000 athletes featured in 36 sports. Kho Kho, yogasana and mallakhamb made their National Games debut.

The National Games 2023 will mark the debut of several new sports, including beach football, roll ball, golf, sepaktakraw, sqay martial arts, kalliyarapattu and pencak silat. 

Yachting and taekwondo, excluded in Gujarat 2022, are back in Goa. 

Multiple venues throughout Goa will host the various competitions. Cycling and golf, however, will be held in New Delhi.

Over 10,000 athletes are expected to participate at the National Games 2023.

The Services Sports Control Board, the team representing the Indian Armed Forces, became the National Games champions in Gujarat last year with 128 medals, including 61 golds. Maharashtra followed with 140 medals which included 39 gold medals, narrowly ahead of Haryana’s 38 gold medals from an overall tally of 116.