The National Sports Commission (NSC) has confirmed that twenty sports will feature at the 23rd National Sports Festival, tagged the Coal City Games, scheduled to hold in Enugu State from November 27 to December 11, 2026.
The clarification follows growing concerns and misconceptions surrounding the number of sports approved for the festival after a meeting between NSC Director General Bukola Olopade and states’ Directors of Sports in Abuja.
According to the Commission, the decision to streamline the Games to 20 sports was approved during the last National Council on Sports meeting held in Calabar, with economic realities across the country playing a major role in the move.
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Speaking during the meeting, Olopade reiterated the Commission’s exclusive responsibility to organize and coordinate the National Sports Festival.
He explained that the reduction in sports was designed to make the Games more financially sustainable while also aligning with global trends in multi-sport events.
The NSC further stated that the format mirrors aspects of the model adopted for the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, where some sports have also been merged to reduce operational costs.
The Commission assured participating states that communication regarding the organization of the festival would improve through closer engagement with Directors of Sports nationwide.
The full twenty approved sports list for the 2026 National Sports Festival are:
- Athletics and Para Athletics
- Badminton and Para Badminton
- Basketball and Wheelchair Basketball (3×3)
- Boxing
- Canoeing and Para Canoeing
- Cricket
- Cycling
- Darts
- Football
- Golf
- Gymnastics
- Judo
- Mixed Martial Arts
- Shooting and Para Shooting
- Swimming
- Table Tennis and Para Table Tennis
- Tennis
- Taekwondo
- Weightlifting and Para Powerlifting
- Wrestling
The meeting with the NSC Director General was attended by Directors of Sports representing the six geopolitical zones, officials from the National Sports Festival and Para Sports Department, as well as other major stakeholders in Nigerian sports.
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The Coal City Games will mark Enugu State’s hosting of the National Sports Festival and are expected to bring together thousands of athletes, officials and sports enthusiasts from across Nigeria for what is regarded as the country’s biggest multi-sport event.
