Musca: The Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex will host the official opening ceremony of the 5th West Asia Para Games (Muscat 2026) on Tuesday at 8 pm, with the participation of national teams from 11 West Asian countries: Yemen, Palestine, Syria, Iraq, Jordan, Bahrain, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Lebanon, and the Sultanate of Oman. The Games will feature 612 para athletes and will be held under the auspices of Shaikh Khalifa bin Ali al Harthy, Under-Secretary of the Foreign Ministry for Political Affairs.
Competitions begin on Tuesday morning across multiple venues. Athletics events will take place at the complex’s track, wheelchair basketball matches will be held in the basketball hall, goalball competitions will be hosted at Al Amal Sports Club Hall and swimming events will be staged at the complex’s pool. Badminton will be played in the main hall, table tennis in Training Hall (1) and weightlifting in Training Hall (2), ensuring events are distributed across specialised facilities.
The Sports Facilities Preparation Committee has completed work at all competition sites, equipping them to high technical and organisational standards that accommodate the specific needs of Paralympic sports and guarantee maximum safety and efficiency for athletes. Over the past two days, Oman welcomed the delegations of the 11 participating countries. Medical screenings were conducted, and technical meetings were held for organising committees, referees, and team leaders to finalise all logistical and technical arrangements, ensuring a smooth start to the competition schedule.
In the same context, the General Assembly meeting of the West Asia Paralympic Federation will be held on Tuesday at 10 am at IntercityHotel Al Khuwair, with the participation of representatives from member federations. The meeting will review administrative and technical reports and discuss ways to strengthen cooperation and develop Paralympic programmes and activities across West Asia, supporting institutional work and advancing sport for persons with disabilities in the region.
Hosting the Games reflects Oman’s strong official commitment to empowering persons with disabilities as essential members of society and partners in development. It also provides a platform to showcase stories of determination and resilience while offering broader opportunities to develop athletes’ skills and talents. The participation of 11 Arab nations highlights Oman’s capability to attract and organise major sporting events, contributing not only competitively but also to tourism and promotion, in line with the national sports strategy and Oman Vision 2040.
The Games are overseen by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth (MoCSY), in partnership with the Oman Paralympic Committee (OPC), and supported by several government entities, including the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism (MoHT), the Ministry of Health (MoH), the Ministry of Social Development (MoSD), the Royal Oman Police (ROP), and Muscat Municipality, to ensure a well-organised event that reflects the Sultanate of Oman’s standards.
The West Asia Para Games (Muscat 2026) aim to promote social inclusion and empower persons with disabilities through a fair and professional competitive environment. They seek to strengthen Paralympic sport as a pathway for talent development and performance enhancement, while also boosting athletes’ self-confidence and independence. The Games further focus on improving healthcare and rehabilitation services linked to sport, in line with international standards.
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