Salalah – The Traditional Games Season 2026 will open at Al Dahariz Beach in Salalah on August 13, bringing heritage sports, public activities and club competitions to the 2026 Dhofar Khareef programme.

Organised by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth (MCSY), the three-day event aims to introduce visitors to traditional Omani games while helping preserve their rules  and cultural significance.

Sultan bin Saeed Al Sinani, Head of the Traditional Sports Department at the ministry, said the event would help pass traditional games between generations and strengthen their role in national identity.

Six clubs from Dhofar — Dhofar, Al Nasr, Salalah, Mirbat, Taqah and Al Ittihad — will take part in the competition.

Each team will comprise eight players, a coach and an administrator. Competitors will take part in up to three games included in the ministry’s approved traditional games handbook.

The tournament will use either two groups of three clubs or a round-robin format involving all six teams.

Alongside the competition, an interactive field will allow visitors of different ages to try selected traditional games.

A small exhibition will feature photographs, illustrations and information explaining the history and practice of the sports.

The programme will also include a refereeing workshop designed to train participants in officiating traditional Omani competitions.

Additional activities for families and visitors are planned to create a combined recreational and educational experience.

The ministry said the season forms part of efforts to keep traditional sports active within local communities rather than limiting them to displays, while adding a cultural attraction to Dhofar’s tourism calendar.