The 2026 World Nomad Games, officially known as the VI World Nomad Games, was an international multi-sport event that was held between 31 August to 6 September 2026, in two cities of Kyrgyzstan: Bishkek, where the opening and closing ceremonies took place, and Cholpon-Ata, which was the main venue for the games. It was the sixth edition of the World Nomad Games and the fourth edition to be hosted by Kyrgyzstan.
Background Cholpon-Ata is a small resort town in northern Kyrgyzstan, located on the northern shore of the famous lake Issyk-Kul, which has previously hosted the World Nomad Games three times.
The first games, held from 9 to 14 September 2014, brought together 583 athletes from 19 countries who competed in 10 sports.
Athletes from 80 countries, including those not traditionally nomadic, took part in the second games, which took place in the same place, in Cholpon-Ata, from 3 to 8 September 2016.
More than 1,500 athletes from 66 countries took part in the third games in September 2018, competing in 37 traditional sports.
The fourth games, held from 29 September to 2 October 2022 in the Turkish city of Iznik, were the first to be held outside Kyrgyzstan.
The fact that the sixth games would again be held on Kyrgyz soil became known during the closing ceremony of the fifth games, which took place from 8 to 13 September 2024, in the Kazakhstani capital, Astana, although it was initially assumed that they would be held in Uzbekistan.
Preparation On 27 September 2025, the President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov signed a decree on the creation of an organizing committee for the preparation and holding of the VI World Nomad Games in 2026.
General management and coordination of work on preparations for the games is entrusted to the Presidential Executive Office, Kanybek Tumanbaev.
At the first meeting, held on 2 October of the same year, the composition of the organizing committee was approved, which was tasked with developing an action plan covering organizational, protocol and other preparatory aspects.
Instructions were also given to ensure security and law and order during the events, as well as to create conditions for a high level of hospitality. An important aspect of the preparation was the timely construction and modernization of the necessary infrastructure for the comfortable holding of the games.
147.5 million soms have been allocated for the preparation and holding of the competition. Most of these funds are directed toward infrastructure development and breeding, with 32.8 million soms earmarked for the latter. Another 91.2 million will be spent on technical equipment for the game venues. The remaining 23.5 million will go toward administrative costs and staffing.
The opening ceremony of the games took place at the Azattyk Arena, and the closing ceremony took place at the Cholpon-Ata hippodrome.
Opening ceremony The opening ceremony took place on 31 August 2026, at the Bishkek Arena stadium, which has a capacity of 51,000 seats and coincided with the anniversary summit of the SCO.
Participating countries The games featured athletes from over 100 countries competing in 43 sports. In total, a record number of athletes have announced their participation – around 3 thousand. The main event, Kok-Boru, was won by Kyrgyzstan 12-0 in a final against Kazakhstan.
Medal table
Medalists
National games Breaking the vertebral bone Ordo Kylychbek NurmatovNursultan Mayrambek uuluAkay Mayrambek uuluUlan Daniyar uuluMayrambek KasymalievAttokur AzhykanovKayrat BorgemikovBeknur Asanov
Horse racing Byshty zhorgo 6,000 m Zhorgo salysh 11,000 m Kunan chabysh 12,000 m Alaman chabysh 25,000 m Distant horse marathon Flat racing 1,600 m Flat racing 2,400 m Flat racing 3,200 m
Horse competitions Kok boru Tashtemir MailybashevMirbek MutashevEdilzhan Toktogul uuluNurbek YusupovTilek MusabekovNazar KoshunbaevSeyitbek Anarbek uuluKiyaz NiyazovAidarkan AnarbekovNurzhan Melisbek uuluBaitegin OmorbekovAitbek Zholdoshbek uulu Kokpar Zholdoshbek OrozbaevKubanych Sultan uuluErsultan Aidarkan uuluDastan KachkynbaevErlan TolobekovRustam MudunovDastan RuslanovDastan Sagynbek uuluRustam TynalievManas NiyazovIskhak Bekbolot uuluOmurbek Esen uulu Tyiyn enmei (Tenge ilu) Er enish 60 kg Er enish 70 kg Er enish 80 kg
National wrestling styles Alysh Ashyrtmaly aba gureshi Turkmen goresh Gushtini milli kamarbandi Azerbaijani gyulesh Kazakh kuresi Tatar koresh Uzbek kurash Kyrgyz kurosh Mongol bökh Pahlavani Sambo 64 kg Sambo 79 kg Sambo +98 kg Ssireum Sumo Great Nomad Wrestling Hapsagai
Traditional strength sports Strongman Tug of war Tug of war Nader KazemiSajjad Jafari GohariAbbas AzimiHamidreza Saeed Tug-of-war Armwrestling Men 70 kg Armwrestling Men 80 kg Armwrestling Men 90 kg Armwrestling Men +90 kg Armwrestling Women 65 kg Armwrestling Women +65 kg Tayak tartysh (Mas-wrestling) – Men 70 kg Mas-wrestling – Men 90 kg Mas-wrestling – Men Over 90 kg Mas-wrestling – Women 55 kg Mas-wrestling – Women 75 kg Mas-wrestling – Women Over 75 kg
Traditional intellectual games Oware - Women's Individual Oware - Men's Individual Oware - Men's Team Oware - Women's Team Mangala Toguz korgool
Traditional archery Turkish rule: "Turkish puta" target Kyrgyz rule: "Teke buta" target
Traditional horseback archery Kyrgyz style - Men Kyrgyz style - Women Hungarian/Magyar style - Men
Traditional animal hunting Kush saluu Taigan zharysh Dalba Burkut saluu
Notes
References
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