A guide to the 15th National Games

For the first time this November, the 15th National Games of the People’s Republic of China will be held in three host cities across the Greater Bay Area: Guangzhou, Hong Kong and Macao. Don’t miss out on the action, because this massive sporting event only happens once every four years. 
 
To give you a running start, we spotlight key events and standout Hong Kong athletes to watch at the 2025 National Games. You’ll also find details on ticketing and the opening and closing ceremonies.

Events held in Hong Kong 

Beach volleyball

An artificial beach will be set up at Victoria Park, offering players and spectators a unique opportunity to compete and watch beneath towering skyscrapers. Twin sisters To Wing-tung and To Wing-man are set to team up in the women’s tournament, while Wong Ka-yun and Tse Kin-wang are preparing to battle in the men’s doubles.

31 October – 10 November

Cycling 

Track cycling remains Hong Kong’s most successful sport in terms of medal wins, with 10 golds earned since 1997. This year, 14 medal events will be held at the Hong Kong Velodrome, divided between men’s and women’s categories. A silver medalist at the 2022 Asian Games, Ceci Lee Sze-wing is expected to take to the track to compete in the omnium event. 

13-17 November 

Fencing 

Look forward to 12 gold medal events across men’s and women’s individual and team competitions. Among the contenders, all eyes will be on the Hong Kong men’s foil team, featuring two-time Olympic gold medalist Cheung Ka-long and recently crowned world champion Ryan Choi, both enjoying home court advantage at Kai Tak Sports Park’s Kai Tak Arena.

15-20 November

Rugby 

Men’s and women’s rugby sevens will be held at Kai Tak Stadium, echoing the 2025 Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens hosted earlier this year. Hong Kong will field men’s and women’s teams in the tournament for the first time in 12 years, competing in two days of pool play followed by a final day of playoffs. 

12-14 November 

Events held in Macao 

Table tennis

Regulars on the Hong Kong circuit will compete in the men’s and women’s categories at this tournament, including Doo Hoi-kem, ranked 41st in the world in women’s singles, and Wong Chun-ting, who’s ranked 48th in men’s singles. Galaxy Arena in Macao will host a series of individual and team events, each of which also includes a youth category.

7-20 November

Women’s indoor volleyball 

Alternating between the showy Venetian Arena and Macao East Asian Games Dome, this event is a favourite among Hongkongers. It will feature three age categories: senior (open), under-20 and under-18. Athletes from Hong Kong may face off against Chinese national team stars representing Tianjin, Jiangsu and Henan provinces. 

7-19 November 

Events held in Guangdong 

Opening and closing ceremonies

The 90-minute opening ceremony will take place at Guangdong Olympic Sports Centre on Sunday 9 November. Expect a parade of participating athletes, performances spotlighting each host city and a torch relay culminating in a cauldron-lighting to mark the official start of the Games. Across the city, Huanle Theatre in Shenzhen will host the closing ceremony on Friday 21 November.

Swimming

Shenzhen Universiade Sports Centre will host seven days of swimming, during which Siobhan Haughey – Hong Kong’s first world record holder and Cathay brand ambassador – will compete for titles in the 100m and 200m freestyle. Pan Zhanle, the current world record holder in the 100m freestyle, is another athlete to look out for.

10-17 November

Wushu (Taolu)

The Hong Kong athlete to watch in the wushu event at Guangzhou Nansha Sports Centre is Lydia Sham, fresh from a major win at August’s World Games, where she claimed gold in the Changquan-Jianshu-Qiangshu combined event.

7-10 November

An event in all three cities 

Road cycling 

Cyclists will speed along a 230km-long route spanning the three host cities, starting from Zhuhai Museum and looping around Macao before ramping up on the HZMB to Hong Kong Disneyland, ultimately ending where they began.  

Other events 

The 15th National Games will be followed by the 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities and the 9th National Special Olympic Games. In Hong Kong, wheelchair fencing at Ma On Shan Sports Centre in December is one of the many highlights.  

How to watch the National Games

To purchase tickets to attend the games in person via the official online platform (available only in Chinese), you first need to register with your ID information. Payments will be made in RMB. Alternatively, tickets can be purchased from China Travel Service’s 11 physical outlets across Hong Kong.

For viewers at home, details about live broadcasting are expected to be announced soon.