India officially launched the inaugural World Yogasana Championship (WYC) 2026 in New Delhi on Tuesday, with Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Dr Mansukh Mandaviya unveiling the championship’s identity, including its logo, trophy, official jersey, and mascot Veer, a lion, at a ceremony attended by federation leaders from the sport’s national and international governing bodies.
The five-day championship is scheduled from June 4 to 8 at the Eka Arena in Ahmedabad, and will feature athletes and delegations from over 60 countries across Asia, Africa, Europe, and beyond. Nations confirmed to participate include Uganda, Zambia, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Kenya, Japan, Oman, Mauritius, and the Netherlands.
Competition will be held across four formats: Traditional Yogasana, Artistic Yogasana, Rhythmic Pairs, and Team Events, with athletes competing in junior, youth, and elite divisions under internationally standardised rules. Performance is assessed on precision, balance, flexibility, control, stability, and degree of difficulty.
The championship is backed by a multi-ministry consortium: the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, the Ministry of Ayush, the Sports Authority of India, the Sports Authority of Gujarat, Gujarat Tourism, and the Gujarat Yogasana Sports Association. India’s national team has been in a coaching camp at the Naranpura Sports Complex in Ahmedabad since May 10, following selection trials held at the SAI Centre in Sonepat on May 1 and 2.
Speaking at the launch, Dr Mandaviya framed the event as a natural progression of India’s global yoga diplomacy. “India gifted yoga to the world under the leadership of the Prime Minister, and the nation is now leading the movement to establish Yogasana as a globally recognised competitive sport,” he said.
Udit Sheth, President of Yogasana Bharat, described the championship as the foundation of a broader structural effort. “This is the beginning of a global sporting movement born in India and packaged for the world with modern teaching, scoring and broadcasting systems,” Sheth said, adding that the sport’s commentary and broadcast presentation must hold viewer attention “channel change nahi hona chahiye.”
World Yogasana Secretary General Dr Jaideep Arya said the organisation’s focus had been on building technical and governance infrastructure in parallel with participation numbers. “Our vision is not only to organise championships, but also to establish Yogasana as a sporting discipline rooted in India’s ancient wisdom, while aligning modern sports governance and international standards,” he said.
The WYC is positioned as the first step in a longer roadmap toward inclusion in major multi-sport events, with Olympic recognition identified as the long-term objective. World Yogasana is the international governing body for the sport; Yogasana Bharat holds national federation status under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and is affiliated with the Indian Olympic Association.
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