Islamabad: Pakistan will host the 14th South Asian Federation (SAF) Games from April 4 to April 11, 2027, featuring over 6,000 athletes and officials competing across 28 sports disciplines. The announcement was made by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Saturday following a Steering Committee meeting chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.

The quadrennial multi sport competition, organised under the auspices of the South Asian Olympic Council, brings together eight member nations: Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. Originally scheduled for 2021, the tournament faced repeated postponements due to the COVID 19 pandemic and subsequent administrative delays. This marks the third time Pakistan will stage the regional event, having previously hosted in Islamabad in 1989 and 2004.

To accommodate the vast scale of the games, events will be distributed across key sporting hubs in Islamabad, Punjab, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. During the meeting, officials approved the appointment of a national coordinator alongside the structural setup for steering, organising, and provincial committees.

Deputy Prime Minister Dar instructed all federal and provincial departments to maintain strict coordination, complete all venue infrastructure on schedule, and adhere to international standards for the multi sport event. The games will feature major sports including athletics, swimming, hockey, football, volleyball, and boxing.