The National Sports Commission has clarified misconceptions relating to the sports selected for the 23rd National Sports Festival — the Coal City Games — scheduled to take place from 27 November to 11 December 2026, confirming that twenty (20) sports have been chosen to feature at the Games.
The NSC said the clarification has become very important to set the records straight following the meeting of the Director General of the NSC, Hon. Bukola Olopade with States’ Directors of Sports held in Abuja.
NSC Explains Decision To Reduce National Sports Festival To 20
The DG reiterated the Commission’s exclusive rights to organise and coordinate the National Sports Festival and reaffirmed that the decision to reduce the number of sports to twenty(20) was taken at the last National council on sports meeting held in Calabar, in consideration of the prevailing economic realities in the country.
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The DG further explained that the Commission’s decision to come up with a list of twenty (20) sports for the 2026 National Sports Festival is inline with the model being used for the 2026 Commonwealth games in Glasgow, Scotland, where some sports were being merged.
The Sport Commission assured that there will be an improved communication with states on matters relating to the Sports Festival through the Director of Sports.
Full List Of Approved Sports For Coal City Games Enugu 2026
The list of the twenty(20) Sports approved for the Coal city Games, Enugu 2026 are ;
1. Athletics and Para Athletic
2. Badminton and Para Badminton
3. Basketball and Wheelchair Basketball ( 3×3)
4. Boxing
5. Canoeing and Para Canoeing
6. Cricket
7. Cycling
8. Darts
9. Football
10. Golf
11. Gymnastics
12. Judo
13. Mixed Martial Arts
14. Shooting and Para Shooting
15. Swimming
16. Table tennis and Para Table Tennis
17. Tennis
18. Taekwondo
19. Weightlifting and Para Powerlifting
20. Wrestling
The meeting with the NSC Director General had in attendance, the States’ Directors of Sports representing the Six Geo- Political Zones, the Director of the National Sports Festival and Para Sports Department alongside other critical Sports stakeholders
By Richard Jideaka, Abuja
