The Central government has activated key provisions of the National Sports Governance Act, with a partial commencement taking effect on 1 January 2026. The move begins the transition to a statutory governance framework for national and regional sports bodies, paving the way for the constitution of a National Sports Board and a National Sports Tribunal.
National Sports Governance Act India key provisions
A late-night press release from the Sports Ministry on 31 December 2025 listed the sections to be brought into force. They include provisions governing the structure and elections of National Sports Bodies — the National Olympic Committee, National Paralympic Committee, National Sports Federations (NSFs) and Regional Sports Federations — as well as mechanisms for oversight, affiliation and dispute resolution.
After elections conducted under the Act, each body will be required to have an executive committee capped at 15 members, with at least two Sportspersons of Merit (SOMs). The Ministry has allowed federations with upcoming elections to postpone those polls until December 2026 to accommodate full implementation; this has already pushed the All India Football Federation’s election timetable later in the year.
The National Sports Board (NSB), expected to be a three-member body, will be appointed by the Central Government on the recommendations of a search-cum-selection committee, which is yet to be finalised. The NSB will be empowered to grant affiliation to NSFs, monitor their financial operations and impose penalties for misconduct. Crucially, NSFs will need NSB affiliation to remain eligible for government funding.
Members of the NSB will face an age cap of 65 and may be re-appointed for one additional term if still under the age limit. The National Sports Tribunal (NST), which will handle sporting disputes notified under the Act, will have members serving four-year terms with an upper age limit of 67, as set out in implementation rules released for public consultation in October.
The Ministry also plans to establish a National Sports Election Panel (NSEP) to manage elections across federations and related bodies, introducing a single institutional mechanism for electoral oversight.
Athlete inclusion and Sportsperson of Merit criteria
The rules define a tiered system for Sportspersons of Merit to encourage athletes into administrative roles. Applicants must generally be retired for at least one year before taking up administrative positions. Entry to the National Olympic Committee will be limited to those who have won an Olympic medal or have participated in at least one Olympic Games. Criteria for federation-level SOMs are broader, allowing national sports award winners or World Championship medallists to qualify.
Officials have outlined ten tiers of achievement, from Olympic medallists at the top down through recognitions in world and continental events, to determine eligibility and representation on governing bodies.
Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya has described the Act as the single biggest sporting reform in the country. The Ministry said the phased commencement aims to ensure a smooth transition to the new statutory framework while giving federations time to align processes and elections with the new rules.
Observers expect the reforms to professionalise administration and increase financial accountability across federations, though debate is likely over the extent of central appointments and the practical effects of the athlete-tier system. As the NSB and NST are constituted and the NSEP takes shape, the coming months will show how the law alters governance, funding and representation within Indian sport.
Key Takeaways:
- Partial commencement of the National Sports Governance Act took effect on 1 January 2026, enabling the creation of a National Sports Board and Tribunal.
- New limits on federation executive committees, mandatory NSB affiliation for funding and strict athlete eligibility criteria were introduced.
- The NSB will have oversight powers over affiliation, finances and penalties; members to be appointed by the central government.
- Federations may postpone elections until December 2026 to align with the Act’s full implementation.
