The 2026 ASEAN Para Games (Thai: กีฬาอาเซียนพาราเกมส์ 2026, romanized: Kīlā Aāsīan Phārā Kēm 2026), officially the 13th ASEAN Para Games and also known as Nakhon Ratchasima 2026, is an upcoming international multi-sport event sanctioned by the ASEAN Para Sports Federation (APSF), scheduled to be held from 20 to 26 January 2026 with Nakhon Ratchasima Province as its main city. The city was awared the Games on 13 January 2023. It was the first time that the host city was selected to host the ASEAN Para Games through the bidding and election process.
| Host city | Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand |
|---|---|
| Motto | Create Pride Together |
| Nations | 11 |
| Opening | 20 January 2026 |
| Closing | 26 January 2026 |
| Main venue | 80th Birthday Stadium |
This will be the second ASEAN Para Games in Thailand and the second also for Nakhon Ratchasima (previously hosted the 2008 ASEAN Para Games).
Host selection edit
It is customary for the host nation of the Southeast Asian Games to also host the ASEAN Para Games within the same year.
Bidding and election edit
On 11 October 2022, Dato Seri Chaipak Siriwat, the vice president of the National Olympic Committee of Thailand (NOCT) revealed the framework of the bidding process that the host cities/provinces should expend for the games at a budget-friendly cost, and they don't have a requirement to build venues anymore. Unlike 2019 and 2021 editions that their competition venues were spread over 23 and 12 cities/provinces respectively, the possible number of host cities/provinces for the games should be limited to 3 or 4.[1]
Eight bidding parties from twelve cities/provinces interested in hosting the games were nominated by Prachum Boontiem, the vice governor of the Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT), in October 2022. Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Nakhon Ratchasima, and Songkhla were submitted as sole bids, while Bangkok/Chonburi, Bangkok/Chonburi/Songkhla, Krabi/Phuket/Trang, and Amnat Charoen/Sisaket/Ubon Ratchathani/Yasothon were submitted as cross-province bids.[2][3][4] Although the bidding process was started in October 2022, some bidding parties were revealed their bidding campaigns earlier: Ubon Ratchathani in April 2016,[5][6] Chonburi in January 2019,[7] and Krabi/Phuket/Trang in February 2021.[8]
The joint bid from Bangkok Metropolitan Region, Chonburi Province, and Songkhla Province and the single bid from Nakhon Ratchasima were awarded to host 33rd Southeast Asian Games and 13th ASEAN Para Games respectively by the Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT) on 13 January 2023 and approved by the Cabinet of Thailand in February 2023.[9][10][11] The joint cities/provinces will become the first host cities/provinces to be selected to host the Southeast Asian Games through the bidding process.
| Sole bids (4) | Cross-province bids (4) |
|---|---|
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Development and preparations edit
Handover ceremony and Friendship Highway edit
As per tradition, the handover ceremony of the APSF flag and artistic performance of the 2026 ASEAN Para Games were held at the closing ceremony of the 2023 ASEAN Para Games in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. These were held on 9 June 2023 at the Morodok Techo National Stadium.
First, the APSF flag was passed from Vath Chamroeun, the secretary general of the Cambodia ASEAN Para Games Organizing Committee (CAMAPGOC), Thong Khon, the vice president of the CAMAPGOC and Hun Many, the vice president of the National Paralympic Committee of Cambodia (NPCC) to Osoth Bhavilai, the president of APSF, Naiyanobh Bhirombhakdi, the president of the Paralympic Committee of Thailand (PCT), Phipat Ratchakitprakarn, Minister of Tourism and Sports and Gongsak Yodmani, the governor of the Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT). Cherdkiat Atthakor, the Thai ambassador to Cambodia, Charin Thongsuk, the deputy governor of Nakhon Ratchasima province and the vice secretary general of the NOCT and Prachum Boonthiam, the deputy governor of the SAT were also the delegate for the handover ceremony. This will be followed by the raising of the flag of Thailand and the playing of its national anthem.
See also edit
References edit
- ^ ""บิ๊กป้อม" ชี้ ซีเกมส์ 2025 ที่ ไทย เป็นเจ้าภาพ จัดแบบประหยัด ไม่สร้างสนามใหม่". Thai Rath (in Thai). October 11, 2022. Retrieved December 21, 2022.
- ^ ""12 จังหวัด" เสนอตัวเป็นเจ้าภาพจัดศึกซีเกมส์ 2025". Daily News (in Thai). October 29, 2022. Retrieved December 21, 2022.
- ^ ""กกท." ลุยตั้งทีมวางเกณฑ์เฟ้นเมืองเจ้าภาพจัดศึกซีเกมส์ 2025". Daily News (in Thai). November 5, 2022. Retrieved December 21, 2022.
- ^ "ไทยได้ชื่อ 12 จังหวัดเสนอตัวเจ้าภาพซีเกมส์-อาเซียนพารา 2025". Siamsport (in Thai). October 29, 2022. Retrieved December 21, 2022.
- ^ "อุบลฯ ระดมความคิดเห็น เสนอตัวเป็นเจ้าภาพ จัดการแข่งขันกีฬาซีเกมส์ 2025". Guide Ubon (in Thai). April 19, 2016. Retrieved December 21, 2022.
- ^ "พร้อมแล้ว! 'อุบลฯ' เสนอตัวเป็นเจ้าภาพจัดซีเกมส์ 2025". Thai Rath (in Thai). April 19, 2016. Retrieved December 21, 2022.
- ^ "กกท. หารือโรดแมปเจ้าภาพจัด ยูธโอลิมปิกเกมส์ - ยก ชลบุรี เป็นตัวเลือกที่ดี". Khaosod (in Thai). January 14, 2019. Retrieved December 21, 2022.
- ^ "3 จังหวัดฝั่งอันดามัน จับมือยื่น กกท. เสนอตัวจัดซีเกมส์ 2025". Thai Rath (in Thai). February 12, 2021. Retrieved December 21, 2022.
- ^ "ลุ้นทราบผลเดือนม.ค.หน้า-จังหวัดเจ้าภาพจัดซีเกมส์ 2025ที่ไทย". Siamsport (in Thai). November 25, 2021. Retrieved December 21, 2022.
- ^ "เคาะ "กทม.-ชลบุรี-สงขลา"จัดซีเกมส์-อาเซียนพาราฯปี2025". Siamsport (in Thai). January 13, 2022. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
- ^ "เลือกแล้ว "กทม.-ชลบุรี-สงขลา" จัดศึก "ซีเกมส์+อซ.พาราเกมส์ 2025"". Dailynews (in Thai). January 13, 2022. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
| Preceded by Phnom Penh |
13th ASEAN Para Games Nakhon Ratchasima 2026 |
Succeeded by Malaysia |