Madhya Pradesh is set to host its grandest sporting spectacle, the Khelo MP Youth Games–2025, often dubbed the state's own "Olympics." The mega event will unfold across the length and breadth of the state from January 10 to 31, 2026, engaging youth from every corner in a celebration of sports and talent.
A Phased Competition Across the State
The games will be conducted in a meticulously planned, multi-tier format to ensure maximum participation and fair competition. Sports Minister Vishwas Sarang outlined the schedule: block-level contests will kick off the event from January 10 to 15, followed by district-level battles from January 16 to 20. The action will then move to divisional matches from January 21 to 25, culminating in the highly anticipated state-level finals from January 28 to 31, 2026.
This edition marks a significant first, as the Sports Department will jointly organise the event in collaboration with all recognised sports associations. This partnership aims to streamline integrated team selection across all 27 disciplines, thereby offering a clearer and more substantial pathway for talented young athletes to gain state-level recognition.
Blending Tradition with Mainstream Sports
In a unique move to celebrate indigenous culture, the Khelo MP Games will for the first time include traditional Indian games like pittu and tug-of-war alongside mainstream favourites such as cricket, hockey, and athletics. This initiative is designed to promote India's rich sporting heritage and encourage participation in diverse physical activities.
A total of 27 sports disciplines have been finalised for the games. The events have been strategically distributed across the state's eight divisions—Bhopal, Gwalior, Indore, Jabalpur, Rewa, Sagar, Ujjain, and Shahdol—based on regional traditions, infrastructure, and popularity of the sports.
Venue and Sport Allocation
The host cities and their assigned sports are as follows:
- Bhopal: Athletics, fencing, men's cricket, kayaking-canoeing, rowing, swimming, shooting, men's hockey, boxing.
- Indore: Basketball, weightlifting, table tennis, tennis.
- Gwalior: Women's cricket.
- Ujjain: Badminton, Pittu, women's hockey.
- Jabalpur: Mallakhamb, yoga, kabaddi, tug-of-war, wrestling.
- Rewa: Kho-kho, archery.
- Narmadapuram: Football, judo.
- Sagar: Taekwondo, chess.
- Volleyball will be played across multiple venues.
Competition Structure and State-Level Focus
While most sports will follow the three-stage format of block, district, and state finals, disciplines like basketball, football, kabaddi, volleyball, cricket, pittu, and tug-of-war will incorporate an additional divisional phase. Conversely, sports requiring specialised infrastructure, such as taekwondo, fencing, rowing, kayaking-canoeing, shooting, and archery, will be contested exclusively at the state-level finals.
To ensure seamless execution, coordination officers have been appointed to foster effective collaboration between the government and the various sports associations. The state government also plans to invite representatives from national sports federations and enthusiasts to both the inaugural and closing ceremonies, highlighting the event's significance.
By taking the games to all 313 development blocks, the Khelo MP Youth Games 2025 aims to be the most inclusive sporting event in the state's history, scouting talent from the grassroots and providing a unified platform for the youth of Madhya Pradesh to shine.
