Select provisions of the National Sports Governance Act, 2025, effective January 1, 2026, establish governance frameworks for national sports bodies and initiate NSB and NST formation.
Federations must limit Executive Committees to 15 members with mandatory Sportspersons of Merit; NSB gains powers over affiliations, funding eligibility, and oversight.
Allows smooth transition, with deferred elections for some NSFs until full implementation; hailed as major step for transparency, accountability, and athlete welfare.
India's sports landscape enters a transformative phase as key provisions of the landmark National Sports Governance Act, 2025 partially come into effect today, January 1, 2026. The Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports issued a notification late on December 31, activating select sections that lay the groundwork for a more transparent, accountable, and athlete-centric governance framework across national sports bodies.
The activated provisions focus on establishing the institutional structure for bodies like the National Olympic Committee, National Paralympic Committee, National Sports Federations (NSFs), and Regional Sports Federations. This phased rollout paves the way for the formation of the powerful National Sports Board (NSB) — a three-member body with authority to grant affiliations, monitor finances, and penalise misconduct — and the National Sports Tribunal (NST) to resolve sporting disputes efficiently.
Post-elections under the Act, all national and regional federations must constitute Executive Committees limited to 15 members, including at least two Sportspersons of Merit, ensuring greater athlete representation. The NSB members, appointed by the Central Government on recommendations of a search-cum-selection committee, will draw from experts in public administration, sports governance, and law, with an age cap of 65 and provision for one reappointment. Tribunal members will serve four-year terms up to age 67.
Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya described the Act (notified in August 2025) as the "single biggest sporting reform" in independent India, aimed at aligning with the Olympic and Paralympic Charters, promoting ethical practices, and ensuring timely dispute resolution. The phased approach allows a smooth transition, with the ministry permitting NSFs facing imminent elections (like the All India Football Federation) to defer them until December for full compliance.
The move is seen as a step toward professionalising Indian sports ahead of ambitions like hosting the 2036 Olympics, though some federations have historically raised concerns over autonomy. With institutional mechanisms now operational, the focus shifts to appointments, rule-making, and ensuring federations adapt to the new statutory regime.
