National Sports Day (HSN) is an annual event by the Ministry of Youth and Sports, first held in 2015 and celebrated on the Saturday of the second week of October simultaneously across the country. Its goal is not elite competition, but mass participation, to make sport a way of life and support Malaysia's aspiration to be a 'Sporting Nation'. Since 2019, the celebration has been extended throughout October as National Sports Month.
- HSN was introduced in 2015 by the Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS).
- It is celebrated on the Saturday of the second week of October each year, simultaneously at the district, state and national levels.
- Its focus is mass participation and an active lifestyle, not high-performance sport.
- Since 2019, it has been expanded into National Sports Month throughout October.
Who this applies to: Malaysians, schools, communities, employers and local authorities who want to understand or take part in HSN.
On this page
Every Saturday of the second week of October, sports fields, parks and halls across Malaysia are meant to be packed — that is the intent behind National Sports Day.
What is National Sports Day?
National Sports Day (HSN) is an annual celebration introduced by the Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS) in 2015. It is celebrated on the Saturday of the second week of October and carried out simultaneously at the district, state and national levels.
Unlike championships such as the Malaysia Games (SUKMA), which focus on high-performance athletes, HSN is designed for ordinary people. Its emphasis is mass participation — broad involvement by the public across all ages and backgrounds.
Why does it exist?
HSN grew out of the aspiration to make Malaysia a “Sporting Nation”. The idea is simple: sport should not just be watched, but practised as part of everyday life.
The need is real. Based on the Malaysia Sports Culture Index 2022 (IBSM’22) referenced by KBS, about 52% of Malaysians are not involved in any sporting activity, with higher rates of inactivity among women, students and senior citizens. HSN aims to close that gap by encouraging active habits on a broad scale.
The main objectives of HSN include:
- Cultivating sport as a way of life for the people.
- Encouraging a healthy and active lifestyle for all ages.
- Generating mass participation across races and communities.
- Supporting Malaysia’s goal of becoming a sporting nation.
When and how is it celebrated?
The core date is the Saturday of the second week of October. For example, HSN 2025 was celebrated on 11 October 2025, while HSN 2026 is scheduled for 10 October 2026.
Since 2019, KBS has expanded that single day into National Sports Month (BSN), running throughout October to give more room for programmes across the country.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Introduced | 2015 |
| Day of celebration | Saturday of the second week of October |
| Organiser | Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS) |
| Levels | District, state and national (simultaneous) |
| Expansion (since 2019) | National Sports Month throughout October |
By its 11th edition in 2025, KBS reported that the HSN celebration had recorded around 31 million public participations through more than 71,000 programmes and activities over the course of its implementation.
Who can take part?
Everyone. HSN is organised through schools, communities, organisations, employers and local authorities. Activities typically include runs, aerobics, folk sports, traditional games and friendly competitions that prioritise participation over winning.
The HSN secretariat is run by the National Department of Youth and Sports (JBSN) under the Ministry of Youth and Sports. Participation details and official contacts can be checked through the official portal harisukannegara.my.
What’s next
To take part, check the current HSN date and theme on the official portal harisukannegara.my or contact your district Youth and Sports Office. Schools and employers can register their own programmes under the National Sports Month celebration in October.
When is National Sports Day celebrated?
On the Saturday of the second week of October each year. For example, HSN 2025 was celebrated on 11 October 2025 and HSN 2026 is scheduled for 10 October 2026.
Who organises National Sports Day?
The Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS) through the National Department of Youth and Sports (JBSN), which runs the HSN secretariat.
What is the difference between HSN and National Sports Month?
HSN is the highlight day of the celebration. Since 2019, KBS has expanded the celebration throughout the month of October as National Sports Month (BSN).
The following are deliberately unstated or described only qualitatively until confirmed by a subject-matter expert:
- Sahkan peraturan tarikh berulang 'Sabtu minggu kedua bulan Oktober' terhadap sumber rasmi KBS/JBSN (kini disandarkan pada ecentral.my, sebuah portal sekunder, disokong oleh tarikh rasmi 11 Oktober 2025 dan 10 Oktober 2026 yang kedua-duanya jatuh pada Sabtu minggu kedua).
- Sahkan tarikh HSN 2026 (10 Oktober 2026) apabila pengumuman rasmi portal untuk 2026 diterbitkan.
- Sahkan saluran hubungan / e-mel rasmi sekretariat HSN dan alamat pejabat — dialih keluar buat sementara kerana tiada sumber rasmi yang mengesahkannya (e-mel 'hsn@kbs.gov.my' dan lokasi 'Menara KBS, Putrajaya' tidak muncul dalam mana-mana sumber yang dipetik).
Sources
- Hari Sukan Negara (HSN) — Portal Rasmi — Jabatan Belia dan Sukan Negara, Kementerian Belia dan Sukan
- Hari Sukan Negara: Membudayakan Sukan Dan Gaya Hidup Aktif — Malaysia Aktif, Kementerian Belia dan Sukan
- Program Hari Sukan Negara — Dewan Negeri Selangor
- Hari Sukan Negara 2025 — Peringkat Negeri & Kebangsaan — eCentral
Change history
| Version | Date | Change | By |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01.00 | 1 Aug 2026 | Approved and published. | — |