III Asian Youth Games
CountryBahrain
Teams45
Athletes4,051
Events264 in 26 sports (29 disciplines)
Opening22 October 2025
Closing31 October 2025
Opened byNasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa
Prince of Bahrain
Closed byTimothy Fok
Vice President of the Olympic Council of Asia
Torch lighterRuqaya Al-Ghasra[1]
StadiumExhibition World Bahrain (opening ceremony)
Khalifa Sports City Hall (closing ceremony)
Websitehttps://bayg.bh/
PreviousNanjing 2013
NextTashkent 2029

The 2025 Asian Youth Games, officially the 3rd Asian Youth Games, and commonly Bahrain 2025, was the third edition of the Asian Youth Games, a pan-Asian multi-sport event that took place in Bahrain from 22 to 31 October 2025. It marked the first time the Games were held since the last in 2013, after the two previous editions in 2017 and 2021 were cancelled.

Host selection

On 28 September 2019, during the 73rd meeting of the OCA Executive Board in Doha, Qatar, the Olympic Council of Asia awarded the 2025 Asian Youth Games hosting rights to Tashkent, Uzbekistan.[2] Tashkent would have hosted the Games from 7 to 17 September.

In late 2024, the National Olympic Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan reported that the Tashkent Olympic City, a sports complex that was being built for the Games, was behind in construction due to constraints caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, and requested the Olympic Council of Asia to postpone the Games. However, the OCA refused the postponement because of the events sports' status as Asian qualifiers for the 2026 Summer Youth Olympics in Dakar, Senegal. Because of this, Tashkent withdrew from hosting in December.[3] Towards the end of the 2025 edition, Tashkent would be awarded the 2029 Games after Phnom Penh, Cambodia, withdrew.[citation needed]

On 26 December 2024, the Olympic Council of Asia awarded the hosting rights to the country of Bahrain, after signing a memorandum of understanding with the Bahrain Olympic Committee.[4]

Venues

City/AreaVenueEventsCapacity
SakhirExhibition World Bahrain[5]Grand HallOpening ceremony4,000
Grand Hall A, BEsportsTBA
Grand Hall C, D, EMuaythaiTBA
Hall 1Mixed martial artsTBA
Ju-jitsu
Pencak silat
Hall 2JudoTBA
Taekwondo
Kurash
Hall 3WeightliftingTBA
Hall 7Wrestling (indoor)TBA
Hall 9BoxingTBA
Hall 10Table tennisTBA
Teqball
Bahrain Royal Equestrian and Endurance FederationCamel racing600[6]
Equestrian (endurance)
RiffaIsa Sports CityBahrain National StadiumAthletics24,000
Hall BVolleyball (women's)TBA
Hall CVolleyball (men's)TBA
Hall DBadmintonTBA
Kabaddi
Isa TownKhalifa Sport CityHallClosing ceremony3,600
Futsal
Swimming PoolSwimming500
GalaliSama BayBeach VolleyballTBA
Wrestling (beach)TBA
ManamaUmm Al Hassam Sports HallsBasketball Hall3x3 basketball1,164
Handball HallHandball1,164
Military Sports UnionEquestrian (jumping)TBA
Al MazrowiahRoyal Golf ClubGolfTBA
ZallaqSofitel Bahrain Zallaq ThalassaTriathlonTBA
NBH LoopRoad cyclingTBA

Sports

26 medal sports were held.[7] The sports of boxing, camel racing, cycling, equestrian, esports, futsal, ju-jitsu, kabaddi, kurash, mixed martial arts, muaythai, pencak silat, teqball, triathlon, volleyball and wrestling made their Asian Youth Games debut.

    • Show Jumping (2)
    • Endurance (2)
  • Volleyball
  • Wrestling

Participating nations

All 45 National Olympic Committees who are members of the Olympic Council of Asia sent delegations.[8]

Calendar

The calendar was last updated on 13 October 2025.[10]

 OC Opening ceremony ●  Event competitions 1 Event finals CC Closing ceremony
October 202519th
Sun		20th
Mon		21st
Tue		22nd
Wed		23rd
Thu		24th
Fri		25th
Sat		26th
Sun		27th
Mon		28th
Tue		29th
Wed		30th
Thu		31st
Fri		Events
CeremoniesOCCC
3x3 basketball●●●●22
Athletics8911937
Badminton●●●33
Boxing●●●●●●1414
Camel racing22
Cycling111115
Equestrian●1124
Esports●2●1●14
Futsal●●●●●●112
Golf●●44
Handball●●●●●●●●●22
Judo8816
Ju-jitsu459
Kabaddi●●●●22
Kurash224
Mixed martial arts●●1515
Muaythai●●●1717
Pencak silat●33
Swimming10107734
Table tennis●●●123
Taekwondo643417
Teqball●●●55
Triathlon213
VolleyballBeach volleyball●●●●●22
Volleyball●●●●●●●●●22
Weightlifting6666832
WrestlingBeach wrestling55
Wrestling8816
Daily medal events250023153442212638580264
October 202519th
Sun		20th
Mon		21st
Tue		22nd
Wed		23rd
Thu		24th
Fri		25th
Sat		26th
Sun		27th
Mon		28th
Tue		29th
Wed		30th
Thu		31st
Fri		Events

Medal table

Source:[11]

Marketing

Mascot

The mascot for the 2025 Asian Youth Games was unveiled in August 2025. The mascot is called Shabab, an Arabian oryx. The name Shahab comes from a traditional name often used in the Gulf and Middle East, especially in Bahrain. The mascot shows the values and energy of Bahraini youth, connecting the country's traditions with its future. Shahab represents Bahrain's desert heritage and inspires young people to do their best in sports and in life. Shabab is also accompanied by two human children, Najm and Dana.[12]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Bahrain hosts spectacular opening ceremony of 3rd Asian Youth Games". www.bna.bh. Bahrain News Agency. 23 October 2025. Retrieved 18 January 2026.
  2. ^ "Tashkent awarded 2025 Asian Youth Games by OCA". Inside the Games. 28 September 2019. Retrieved 16 December 2020.
  3. ^ "2025 Asian Youth Games Moved from Tashkent to Bahrain". The Times Of Central Asia. The Times of Central Asia. 3 December 2024.
  4. ^ "OCA signs MoU with Bahrain NOC for Asian Youth Games 2025". Olympic Council of Asia. 26 December 2024.
  5. ^ "Bahrain gets thumbs up from visiting Asian NOCs impressed with facilities for 3rd AYG". Olympic Council of Asia. 16 May 2025.
  6. ^ "The 3rd Asian Youth Games Bahrain 2025". fei.org. Fédération Équestre Internationale. Retrieved 18 January 2026.
  7. ^ OFFICIAL PROGRAMME OF THE III ASIAN YOUTH GAMES - BAHRAIN 2025
  8. ^ "NOCs". www.bayg.bh. 31 October 2025.
  9. ^ "Sri Lanka to field huge contingent at Asian Youth Games". The Sunday Times. 12 October 2025. Retrieved 12 October 2025.
  10. ^ "Schedule". Bahrain Asian Youth Games. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
  11. ^ https://results.asianyouthgames2025.org/
  12. ^ "'Shahab' chosen to represent AYG". Inside The Games. 30 August 2025.