Nomad Games 2026 in Kyrgyzstan
Over the past few days, my social media feed has been full of photos and videos from the World Nomad Games. And for good reason: this year, the scale of the event was truly impressive.
The World Nomad Games are a special source of pride for me. I have always loved ethnic culture, and the first thing I want travellers to discover in Kyrgyzstan is our traditions. I believe they are the best way to understand the country, its character and its people.
The first World Nomad Games were held in Kyrgyzstan, on the shores of Issyk-Kul, in 2014. At that time, they received little attention from the wider international audience. But the idea was so strong that the Games began to grow, bringing together more countries and participants. Later, they moved beyond Kyrgyzstan and were hosted by Türkiye and Kazakhstan.
In 2026, the World Nomad Games returned to where they began. Kyrgyzstan hosted the Games for the sixth time, and I was personally amazed by their scale.
More than 3,000 athletes from 109 countries competed in traditional sports. The opening ceremony took place at the new Bishkek Arena, while the main events were held around Issyk-Kul. The venues included the Cholpon-Ata Hippodrome, Kok Boru Arena, the Rukh Ordo Cultural Centre, the Dordoi Nomad complex, the Centre of Nomadic Civilisation and several other locations.
The true heart of the Games was Kyrchyn Gorge. A huge ethnic village called “Universe of Nomads: Living Heritage” was built there. It included hundreds of yurts, traditional yurt camps, themed areas, an ethnic market, spaces for crafts and local food, traditional homes and the large Khan Ordo stage.
But it is important to understand that the World Nomad Games are about much more than sport. The Games are built around three main areas: sport, culture and science.
The sports programme included horseback games, kok boru, kokpar, traditional wrestling, archery with traditional bows, salbuurun competitions and strategy games from different cultures.
The kok boru and kokpar finals were among the most exciting moments. The Kyrgyz team defeated Kazakhstan in both events, winning 12–0 in kok boru and 7–2 in kokpar.
Kyrgyz athletes won 72 medals in total: 30 gold, 29 silver and 13 bronze. However, the organisers pointed out that the World Nomad Games do not have an official team medal ranking. The main purpose of the Games is not competition between countries, but the preservation of traditional sports and cultural exchange.
Culture was another major part of the event. Music and epic poetry, crafts, national cuisine, traditional dress and ethnic fashion, dances, rituals, and both traditional and contemporary art were all part of the program. More than 600 cultural events took place during the Games.
The third area was science and traditional knowledge. Researchers and experts discussed the history of nomadic civilisations, ways to preserve ancient knowledge and cultural heritage, and their place in the modern world.
This is what I especially like about the idea behind the Games. They are not simply trying to recreate the past or produce a beautiful cultural display for tourists. They show that nomadic culture is still alive. It keeps its roots, continues to develop and has a natural place in the 21st century.
This year also brought a completely unexpected personal story for me.
My German brother-in-law came to the Games as a member of the German team.
Thomas first came to us as a traveller. He visited Kyrgyzstan and fell deeply in love not only with my sister, but also with the country, its culture and traditions. In the end, he became something of a nomad himself.
This time, he sent us greetings from the heart of the event - not as a tourist or spectator, but as a participant in the World Nomad Games.
I think his story perfectly reflects the main result of the Games. They do more than introduce the world to the culture of Kyrgyzstan. They bring people together, cross borders and turn an interest in our country into a real sense of belonging.
The Games are over, but their meaning goes far beyond a single week. Kyrgyzstan showed the world not a museum reconstruction of the past, but a living nomadic culture — bright, open and able to speak to the modern world in a language it understands.
Get to know the country through travel around Kyrgyzstan. Get to know people better, their culture, traditions and customs.
