The capital of Kyrgyzstan has kicked off the 2026 World Nomad Games. The grand opening ceremony took place at the new Bishkek Arena, reports infohub.kz.
The 6th World Nomad Games are set to break records in participation: around three thousand athletes from 112 countries are expected to compete.
The opening ceremony was held at the recently inaugurated Bishkek Arena, the largest stadium in Central Asia with a capacity of 51,000 spectators. This is the first official event at the venue.
Kazakhstan's national team was among those in the parade of nations. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev greeted the athletes from the stands.
The concert part featured several Kyrgyz artists as well as famous American singer Nicole Scherzinger.
The World Nomad Games will run until August 6. Most competitions will take place in the Kyrchyn Gorge and at the hippodrome of the resort town of Cholpon-Ata in the Issyk-Kul region.
The previous World Nomad Games in 2024 were held in Astana, where Kazakhstan's team took first place in the overall standings.