Yoga Global Federation

A new organisation, Yoga Global Federation (YGF), has been launched with a view to organising an international yoga championship in 2026.

YGF, whose leadership team is based in the Middle East, officially commenced operations following an inaugural general assembly meeting in November. H.E. Sheikha, Shaikha Al-Sabah (Kuwait), a recipient of India’s prestigious Padma Shri award, was named as the body’s president, with sports executive Alwaleed Alkaid (Saudi Arabia), named secretary general.

The organisation describes itself as “the international body dedicated to the promotion and development of yoga and Yogasana sports”.

Alongside the launch, YGF announced news of a ‘2026 International Championship’ scheduled for June 2026. “Aligning with the global ‘month of yoga’, this tournament will serve as the premier stage for athletes worldwide, marking a new era of competitive opportunity for the sport,” YGF noted in a statement.

Yogasana has been pushed as a competitive sport by other bodies, with various events taking place worldwide over many years, and has even been suggested as an Olympic sport.

YGF’s website includes a section where it plans to document Yogasana rankings to “evaluate athletes based on their performance in YGF-sanctioned competitions worldwide.”

The statement added that delegates and member nations from all five continents gathered virtually to ratify the federation’s launch and confirm its founding leadership.

“Today, we have united the world of yoga under one roof," said YGF’s president. “With member nations joining us from Asia, Africa, Europe, the Americas, and Oceania, we are truly a global family. We look forward to welcoming the world to our inaugural championship in 2026.”

To find out more visit: yogagf.org