China’s 15th National Games Open in Guangzhou with First Cross-Border Co-Hosting

GUANGZHOU, China--(BUSINESS WIRE)--China’s 15th National Games officially opened on November 9 at the Guangdong Olympic Sports Center in Guangzhou, marking the first time the country’s flagship multi-sport event is co-hosted by Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao.

The National Games, held every four years, bring together elite athletes from across mainland China and the two Special Administrative Regions. This year, 37 delegations are taking part, representing all provinces, autonomous regions, centrally administered municipalities, the Hong Kong and Macao SARs, the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, and three industrial sports associations. More than 14,000 athletes are competing in the main events, with an additional 11,000 participants involved in mass-participation competitions.

The opening ceremony combined a stadium show with athlete protocol elements. Short addresses highlighted regional cooperation within the Greater Bay Area and the role of sport in youth development and exchange. Representatives of athletes, coaches and referees took their oaths before competition.

A relay of the Games’ torch, which had toured Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao since November 2, concluded inside the stadium. A group of former and current athletes carried the flame in the final segment before the cauldron was lit jointly by Su Bingtian (athletics), Cheung Ka Long (fencing) and Li Yi (swimming).

The cultural program, staged under the theme of the Greater Bay Area, featured music, dance and visual projections referencing Lingnan culture and the coastal region’s urban landscape, while avoiding overt references to political messaging common in previous large-scale ceremonies.

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Kirsty Coventry, IOC honorary president Thomas Bach, and overseas guests attended as observers, underlining the event’s role as both a national competition platform and a showcase for China’s sports ambitions ahead of future international events.

The 15th National Games will run until November 21, with competitions hosted across multiple cities in the Greater Bay Area.