Kuwait City, Kuwait, October 6, 2025: The Director General of the Olympic Council of Asia Husain Al Musallam paid a heartfelt tribute to the Bahrain Asian Youth Games Organising Committee (BAYGOC) for its preparations towards hosting the biggest multi-sports event in the Kingdom from October 22-31, 2025.“We commend the Organising Committee of the 3^rdAsian Youth Games for all the hard work they have put into welcome young athletes from 45 Asian National Olympic Committees for what will be an outstanding Games,” OCA Director General Al Musallam noted.“When you consider that Bahrain only had nine months’ notice to prepare for these Games, it is a tremendous effort and the OCA is extremely grateful to the Bahrain Olympic Committee, the Government of Bahrain, and the Organising Committee for throwing their full support behind hosting this key event.

“We have no doubt that the Kingdom of Bahrain will deliver an incredible Games that showcases the future stars on our continent. These young stars represent the next generation of Asian sport, and we cannot wait to see them compete on the international stage,” Al Musallam added. Held under the Royal patronage of His Majesty the King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the Games will bring together 4,302 young athletes, 900 team officials and 700 coaches from the 45 NOCs. It is the first time that Bahrain will host the Asian Youth Games, a major milestone in the Kingdom’s sporting development.  Tashkent, Uzbekistan withdrew from hosting the 3^rd Asian Youth Games in December, 2024, due to delays in the construction of the Olympic Village. The OCA then reassigned the event to Bahrain in 2025. These games are significant as they will serve as qualifiers for the 2026 Dakar Youth Olympic Games. 

“Despite the time restraints, the Bahrain Organising Committee has done an admirable job, and we are now ready to hold a memorable event which will be important in the sporting careers of all the young boys and girls competing,” Al Musallam said.  “Of course, the Games are just not about competition. It is also an opportunity for the young athletes to learn about different Asian cultures, gain valuable experience, and build lasting friendships.”   Over 3,000 volunteers and an organisational workforce of 1,200 have also rallied around BAYGOC to deliver a smooth event. “I’m particularly pleased to see that there will be more than 3,000 volunteers giving their time and helping in the smooth functioning of these games. Without volunteers and a well-drilled workforce, no major sporting event can operate effectively. BAYGOC has done an outstanding job in bringing all these aspects together,” Al Musallam added.  The 3^rd AYG will feature a total of 26 sports and 249 events – 124 for boys, 110 girls and 15 mixed events.

The sports are: aquatics, athletics, badminton, basketball (3×3), boxing, camel racing, cycling, equestrian, esports, football (futsal), golf, handball, jiu-jitsu, judo, kabaddi, kurash, MMA (mixed martial arts), muay thai, pencak silat, table tennis, taekwondo, teqball, triathlon, volleyball, weightlifting, and wrestling.