AFI releases domestic calendar, Federation Cup to be final selection trial for Commonwealth Games 2026
Athletics Federation of India (AFI) on Monday released its calendar of the 2026 season, listing the major domestic meets which will be the final selection trials for the Commonwealth Games (CWG) and the Asian Games.
National Senior Athletics Federation Competition, set to be held in Ranchi from May 22 to 25, will serve as the final selection trial for CWG. It will also act as a qualification event for the Asian U23 Athletics Championships.
The 23rd edition of CWG will take place in Glasgow, Scotland, from July 23 to August 2 where India can send a contingent of 32 athletes, including 16 women.
To be eligible to compete in the Federation Cup, athletes must participate in at least two events organised by AFI and mentioned in the domestic calendar.
“As per protocol of the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee the number of participants in the athletics contingent can’t exceed 32, including 16 female athletes,” AFI senior vice-president Anju Bobby George said at a press conference in Thiruvananthapuram.
READ | CWG 2026: Athletics Federation of India announces qualifying standards, selection criteria
“Since limited number of track and field events will feature at the Glasgow edition of the Commonwealth Games, accordingly AFI will select the team from amongst those who achieve the qualification mark in their respective events in May.”
At the 2022 CWG, India had sent 37 athletes and won eight medals, including a gold in men’s triple jump through Eldhose Paul. India’s star 3000m steeplechase runner Avinash Sable clinched a silver.
For the Asian Games, which will be held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from September 19 to October 4, National Inter State Senior Athletics Championships will be the final selection trial. Bhubaneswar will host the Inter State meet from June 24 to 28.
To be eligible for competing at the Inter State Championships as well as the National Open Championships, the athletes must participate in three competitions, including their respective state meets.
The AFI will also send the national team to World Relays in May in Botswana, Anju said.
“The selection trials for the World Relays will be held during the third National Open Relay Competition on March 28 in Chandigarh,” Anju added.
“Foreign teams are also expected to compete in Chandigarh.”
ATHLETICS FEDERATION OF INDIA NATIONAL COMPETITON CALENDAR 2026
January 24 – 60th National Cross Country Championships – Ranchi
To be decided (TBD) – NIDJAM (20th National Inter District Junior Athletics Meet) – TBD
February 21-22: 13th Indian Open Race-Walking Competitions – Chandigarh
March 7-8: 5th Indian Open Throws Competitions – Patiala
March 14-15: 5th Indian Open Jumps Competitions – ABG Foundation, Bengaluru
March 21: 7th Indian Open 400M Meet (All categories) – LNCPE, Trivandrum
March 24-25: 1st National Indoor Athletics Championships – Bhubaneswar
March 28: 3rd National Open Relay Competitions – Chandigarh
April 4: Indian Athletics Series 1 – Bengaluru
April 5: Indian Athletics Series 2 – Udaipur
April 11: Indian Athletics Series 3 – Sangrur
April 12: Indian Athletics Series 4 – Ranchi
April 24-26: 24th National Junior Athletics Federation Competition – Bengaluru
May 2-3: 1st Indian Indoor Open Combined Events & Pole Vaul tCompetition – Bhubaneswar
May 9: Indian Athletics Series 5 – New Delhi
May 10: Indian Athletics Series 6 – Chennai
May 22-25: 29th National Senior Athletics Federation Competition – Ranchi
May 26 – June 5: State Meets
June 6: Indian Athletics Series 7 – Guwahati
June 7: Indian Athletics Series 8 – Pune
June 13: Indian Athletics Series 9 – Ludhiana
June 14: Indian Athletics Series 10 – Thiruvananthapuram
June 15: Indian Athletics Series 11 – Kolkata
June 16: Indian Athletics Series 12 – Nadiad
June 24-28: 65th National Inter State Senior Athletic sChampionships – Bhubaneswar
August 7: 5th National Javelin Day Competition – All Districts
August 14: Indian Athletics Series 13 – Warangal
August 16: Indian Athletics Series 14 – Panchkula
August 22: Indian Open World Athletics Silver Level Continental Tour – Bhubaneswar
August 29: Indian Athletics Series 15 – Meerut
August 16-31: Juniors State Meets
September 1-3: 21st National Youth Athletics Championships – Ludhiana
September 5: Indian Athletics Series 16 – ABG Foundation, Bengaluru
September 12: Indian Athletics Final Series (By invitation) – New Delhi
September 14-24: Board Meets
September 14-16: North Zone Jr & South Zone Jr – Dehradrun/Puducherry
September 22-24: East Zone Jr & West Central Zone Jr – Shillong/Patna/Goa/Indore
October 8-11: 65th National Open Athletics Championships – New Delhi
October 16-18: 6th Indian U23 Athletics Competition – Jaipur
October 23-27: 41st National Junior Athletics Championships – Chennai
(With inputs from PTI)
Published on Feb 02, 2026