The Zimbabwe National Youth and Paralympic Games are set to make a long-awaited return this August after a six-year absence, with preparations now entering the final stages.
Hosted under the theme “Breaking the Silence Through Sport,” the 2026 edition will use sport as a platform to raise awareness and encourage conversations around key social challenges, including drug and substance abuse, gender-based violence (GBV), sexual and reproductive health rights, and stigma affecting communities.
Athletes from Zimbabwe’s 10 provinces will gather in Marondera for the national showcase. The National Youth Games are scheduled for August 12–18, while the Paralympic Games will take place from August 20–26.
Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) Director General Allen Mavunga said the return of the Games marks an important milestone in the country’s youth sport development programme.
“The Games remain a vital pathway for identifying and nurturing young sporting talent while promoting equal opportunities for athletes from every province, including those living with disabilities,” he said.
According to Mavunga, the event reflects the SRC’s commitment to inclusivity by ensuring that all young athletes have a chance to compete and develop regardless of background or ability.
An estimated 3,400 athletes are expected to participate in the Games.
“The National Youth Games will feature competitions in athletics, basketball, boxing, football, netball, table tennis, tennis and volleyball, with judo included as an exhibition sport,” Director Mavunga stated.
The Paralympic Games programme will include athletics for visually impaired and Special Olympics athletes, goalball, wheelchair basketball, hearing-impaired football, hearing-impaired netball and wheelchair athletics.
The Games were last staged in 2019 in the Midlands Province before being suspended following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Their return was delayed further as organisers reviewed the event to strengthen athlete safeguarding measures, improve training structures and align the competition with modern talent development systems.
First introduced in 2003 in Bulawayo, the Zimbabwe National Youth Games were established to promote sport among young people under the age of 20. Over the years, the competition has become an important platform for discovering emerging talent and preparing athletes for higher levels of competition, while contributing to the growth of sport across the country.