Asian Youth Games

Asian Youth Games
Games
Sports
  • 3x3 basketball
  • Athletics
  • Badminton
  • Beach volleyball
  • Bowling
  • Diving
  • Fencing
  • Football
  • Golf
  • Handball
  • Judo
  • Rugby sevens
  • Sailing
  • Shooting
  • Squash
  • Table tennis
  • Taekwondo
  • Tennis
  • Weightlifting
Organisations
Asian Youth Games
AbbreviationAYG
First event2009 Asian Youth Games in Singapore
Occur every4-2 years
Last event2025 Asian Youth Games in Bahrain
Next event2029 Asian Youth Games in Tashkent

The Asian Youth Games, also known as AYG, is a multi-sport event held every four to two years among teenage athletes from all over Asia. The Games have been organized by the Olympic Council of Asia. The Games are described as the second-largest continental multi-sport event after the Asian Games.

The creation of the Asian Youth Games was a part of Singapore's bid to host the 2010 Summer Youth Olympics. It was intended to show Singapore's organisational capabilities and infrastructure.[1]

In its history, three nations have hosted the Asian Youth Games. Forty-five nations have participated in the Games.

The last Games was held in Bahrain from 22 to 31 October 2025. The next Games will take place in 2029 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

Editions

Host cities of the Asian Youth Games
Edition Year Host city Host nation Opened by Start date End date Nations Competitors Sports Events Top-ranked team Refs
I 2009 Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong 29 June 7 July 43 1,237 9 90  China (CHN) [2]
II 2013 Nanjing China Vice Premier Liu Yandong 16 August 24 August 45 2,404 16 122  China (CHN) [3]
2017 Originally awarded to Hambantota, then awarded to Jakarta, eventually cancelled due to no replacement host city found.
2021 Originally awarded to Surabaya, then awarded to Shantou, eventually cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. [4]
III 2025 Bahrain[a] Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa 22 October 31 October 45 4,051 26 264  China (CHN) [6]
IV 2029 Tashkent[b] Uzbekistan Future event [8]
V 2031 Phnom Penh Cambodia Future event [9]
  1. ^ Originally awarded to Tashkent, Uzbekistan, which withdrew in December 2024 due to delays in infrastructure construction.[5]
  2. ^ Originally awarded to Phnom Penh, Cambodia, which withdrew in October 2025 due to organisers failing to meet contractual deadlines.[7]

Future

After the Olympic Council of Asia proposed holding the Games biennially from 2029, the president of the Philippine Olympic Committee and executive board member of the Olympic Council of Asia, Abraham Tolentino, suggested that a future edition could be held in the Philippines, if the country's government were interested in supporting a bid.[10][11]

Sports

Sport Years
3x3 basketball All
Athletics All
Badminton Since 2013
Beach volleyball 2009
Boxing 2025
Camel racing 2025
Cycling 2025
Bowling 2009
Diving 2009 - 2013
Equestrian 2025
Esports 2025
Fencing 2013
Football 2009 - 2013
Futsal 2025
Golf Since 2013
Handball Since 2013
Judo Since 2013
Ju-jitsu 2025
Sport Years
Kabaddi 2025
Kurash 2025
Mixed martial arts 2025
Muaythai 2025
Pencak silat 2025
Rugby sevens 2013
Sailing 2009
Shooting 2009 - 2013
Squash 2013
Swimming All
Table tennis All
Taekwondo Since 2013
Tennis 2013
Teqball 2025
Triathlon 2025
Volleyball 2025
Weightlifting Since 2013
Wrestling 2025

Medal table

As of the conclusion of the 2025 Asian Youth Games:

RankNationGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1 China1348870292
2 South Korea523742131
3 Uzbekistan38183692
4 Thailand323736105
5 Kazakhstan293952120
6 Iran23274090
7 India21252773
8 Hong Kong20262874
9 Singapore16212360
10 Japan16171851
11 Chinese Taipei14224480
12 North Korea13111135
13 United Arab Emirates1291031
14 Philippines9111131
15 Vietnam6131332
16 Saudi Arabia651526
17 Indonesia582134
18 Malaysia581730
19 Bahrain55515
20 Kuwait54615
21 Iraq37616
22 Qatar2619
23 Tajikistan241622
24 Jordan221216
25 Kyrgyzstan191222
26 Sri Lanka131216
27 Afghanistan1236
28 Turkmenistan1146
29 Yemen1034
30 Palestine1012
31 Syria1001
32 Mongolia051621
33 Cambodia0224
34 Pakistan0134
35 Macau0112
36 Lebanon0101
37 Bangladesh0022
 Oman0022
39 Myanmar0011
Totals (39 entries)4774756221,574

See also

References

  1. ^ "The inaugural Asian Youth Games 2009 | Infopedia". eresources.nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved 2021-07-06.
  2. ^ "OCA » Singapore 2009". ocasia.org. Retrieved 2021-07-06.
  3. ^ "OCA » Nanjing 2013". ocasia.org. Retrieved 2021-07-06.
  4. ^ "OCA Press Release on Hangzhou Asian Games 2022 and Shantou Asian Youth Games 2021". Olympic Council of Asia. 6 May 2022. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
  5. ^ "2025 Asian Youth Games Moved from Tashkent to Bahrain". The Times of Central Asia. 3 December 2024.
  6. ^ "Bahrain to host third Asian Youth Games". Gulf Digital News. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
  7. ^ "Cambodia determined to host AYG in the future". Olympic Council of Asia. 24 October 2025.
  8. ^ "Tashkent will host the IV Asian Youth Games in 2029". Turkmenportal. 1 November 2025.
  9. ^ "Cambodia to host 4th Asian Youth Games in 2031 instead of 2029". Kiripost. 31 October 2025.
  10. ^ "PH eyes Asian Youth Games hosting; Tolentino calls for government support". The Manila Times. 22 October 2025.
  11. ^ "POC positions itself as AYG host". insidethegames.biz. 26 October 2025.