The Junior Pan American Games are a multi-sport event held every four years among youth athletes from all over the American continent. The Games have been organized by Panam Sports. This event, inspired by the Youth Olympic Games, is exclusively for athletes under 21 years of age, with fewer infrastructure requirements and costs than the Pan American Games.
The last games were held in Asunción, Paraguay, in 2025,Asunción 2025 celebrates 500 days to go to the II Junior Pan American Games and the next games will take place in Rosario, Argentina, in 2029.
History On 16 January 2019, PASO announced the creation of the Junior Pan American Games.
Panam Sports accepted candidate cities for the first edition of the Games until 31 January. Cali, Colombia; Santa Ana, El Salvador; and Monterrey, Mexico, were accepted as candidate cities. Cali was chosen as the host city at the Executive Committee in San José, Costa Rica, on 27 March 2019.
Panam Sports chose Asunción, Paraguay to host for the 2025 Junior Pan American Games. Asunción received 32 out of 48 votes, while Santa Marta, Colombia, received the remaining 16 votes.
On April 1, 2026, Panam Sports announced they had received three candidacies for the 2029 Junior Pan American Games; Guatemala City, Panama City and Rosario, Argentina. The official candidate cities will be announced on June 19, and the host will be selected at the August Panam Sports General Assembly in Lima, Peru. However, Panama City withdraw its bid on 22 July 2026 before the Centro Caribe Sports General Assembly in Santo Domingo Dominican Republic ahead of the 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games opening ceremony, leaving Guatemala City and Rosario the two remaining bidders. On 28 August 2026, Rosario won the to host the 2029 edition by five votes with 29 votes out of 53 votes while Guatemala City received 24 votes.
List of Junior Pan American Games editions EditionYearNationsCompetitorsSportsEventsI2021Cali-Valle President Iván Duque 25 November 5 December 412,54028321II2025AsunciónPresident Santiago Peña9 August23 August413,97528336After the good performance hosting the 2022 South American Games, Asunción will host the 2025 Junior Pan American GamesIII2029RosarioPresident of Argentina (expected)TBATBAFuture event
Sports
In the first edition of the games a total of 28 sports were contested, encompassing a total of 40 disciplines. In the second edition, BMX freestyle, field hockey, golf, open water swimming and rugby sevens were included on the games. Other Olympic events and disciplines not contested yet includes basketball (5x5), water polo, canoe slalom, equestrian, sport climbing, surfing and football.
Sport Years 3x3 basketball Since 2021 Archery Since 2021 Artistic skating Since 2021 Since 2021 Athletics Since 2021 Badminton Since 2021 Baseball 2021 Beach volleyball Since 2021 Bowling 2021 Boxing 2021 Canoeing Since 2021 Cycling Since 2021 Diving Since 2021 Fencing Since 2021 Field hockey Since 2025 Golf Since 2025 Gymnastics Since 2021 Handball Since 2021 Judo Since 2021 Karate Since 2021 Sport Years 2021 Open water swimming Since 2025 Rowing Since 2021 Rugby sevens Since 2025 Sailing Since 2021 Shooting Since 2021 Skateboarding Since 2021 Softball 2021 Speed skating Since 2021 Squash Since 2021 Swimming Since 2021 Table tennis Since 2021 Taekwondo Since 2021 Tennis Since 2021 Triathlon Since 2021 Volleyball Since 2021 Water skiing Since 2025 Weightlifting Since 2021 Wrestling Since 2021
Medal count Last updated after the 2025 Junior Pan American Games
See also Youth Olympic Games African Youth Games Asian Youth Games European Youth Olympic Festival South American Youth Games Bolivarian Youth Games
References
External links Official website