The 2025 World Games in Chengdu are about to begin, bringing together top athletes from around the world, EDnews reports.
The opening ceremony will take place on August 7 at the Tianfu International Convention and Exhibition Center.
Although the opening ceremony officially symbolizes the start of the multi-sport event, some competitions have already begun.
For example, the floorball tournament will start several hours before the ceremony. Softball and floorball events are already underway today.
More than 4,000 athletes from 114 countries will participate in the World Games, competing for 256 sets of medals.
Azerbaijan is proudly sending a strong delegation to Chengdu, with athletes competing in karate, kickboxing, tumbling, aerobics, and acrobatics.
The 2025 World Games (Chengdu 2025) are an international multi-sport event taking place from August 7 to 17 in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China, with several competitions getting underway a day earlier on August 6.
This marks the 12th edition of the World Games, a global sporting event that includes both Olympic-recognized disciplines and non-Olympic sports.
It is the first time China has hosted the Games and also signals a return to the regular four-year schedule, after the 2021 Games in Birmingham, Alabama, were postponed to 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Chengdu 2025 program features 34 sports, 60 disciplines, and 253 medal events. Notably, powerboating and cheerleading are making their debut, while para freediving and para ju-jitsu are being introduced in the para sports category.
In contrast, bowling, water skiing, and artistic roller skating, three sports present in all previous editions have been removed from this year's lineup. Sumo has also been excluded following issues that arose during the 2022 Games.
Esports will be showcased for the first time through a collaboration between the International World Games Association (IWGA) and the Global Esports Federation.
Another historic first is the introduction of a World Games torch relay.
The torch, named Zhumeng, was unveiled on February 27, 2025. Created by designers Feng Benyuan and Wang Anxu from Jilin University of Arts, Zhumeng blends artistic elements, symbolic colors, and cultural motifs to embody both the spirit of the Games and the cultural heritage of China.
As Chengdu prepares to host athletes and fans from around the world, the 2025 World Games are set to be a special event.
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