The 2026 Namibia Youth Games will proceed in a revised, clustered format as organisers adapt to a significant reduction in funding while maintaining the event's core objective of selecting Team Namibia.

The Namibia Sport Commission confirmed that the Games will remain the primary platform to identify athletes across 11 sport codes, including athletics (with para athletics and wheelchair racing), Special Olympics, basketball, boxing, football, judo, karate, netball, swimming, tennis, table tennis, and volleyball.

Instead of a single large-scale event, competitions will now be held through regional and sport-specific trials and championships scheduled for May 2026.

To work within the limited budget, organisers have introduced a clustered competition model, grouping sport codes and regions into manageable hubs.

This approach is expected to significantly reduce travel, accommodation, and venue costs while allowing federations to conduct fair and transparent selection processes.

Athlete selection will be based on performances at existing national championships, as well as targeted regional trials where necessary.

Despite the financial constraints, the Commission is actively engaging the Ministry, federations, and other stakeholders to secure additional funding to ensure Namibia's participation at the AUSC Region 5 Youth Games.

As part of the restructuring, all previously advertised Expressions of Interest (EOIs) for service providers have been cancelled.

The Commission has indicated that affected parties will be notified through official communication channels.

The Namibia Sport Commission has reaffirmed its commitment to a transparent and athlete-centred selection process, while expressing appreciation to federations, regional coordinators, volunteers, and athletes for their cooperation during the transition.