The Arctic Winter Games 2026, a multi-sport and cultural event, will take place in Whitehorse, Yukon, from March 8-15, 2026.
The tournament will see athletes from across the circumpolar north – Northwest Territories, Yukon, Nunavut, Alaska, Greenland, Northern Quebec (Nunavik), Northern Alberta, and the Sami people from Norway, Sweden, and Finland – compete in 20 different sports, including ‘traditional games’.
Held every two years, the event features Inuit favourites like one-foot-high kick and knuckle hop, and Dene games that include finger Pull (a test of strength), hand games (a guessing and deceiving game involving sticks), and Snow Snake (a throwing competition), along with the more familiar hockey, skating and curling.
Many of the featured sports are culturally significant, reflecting and honing the skills necessary for survival in the Arctic region.
