The North American Indigenous Games bring together thousands of young Indigenous athletes from across Canada and the United States. They mix high-level sport with a cultural program of art, music and performance. Saskatchewan has hosted twice, and Team Saskatchewan is one of the strongest teams at the Games.
We are an Indigenous-owned clothing company in Saskatoon. Youth and community are a big part of why we do this work. Here is a plain guide to NAIG: where it came from, who hosts it, what sports are played and how young people in Saskatchewan get on the team.
What the North American Indigenous Games are
The NAIG Council describes the Games as an international multi-sport and cultural celebration for Indigenous youth. Competitions include both contemporary and traditional sports.
The Government of Canada's Canadian Heritage page sets out who can take part. Athletes must be born of North American Indigenous ancestry. Teams, called contingents, represent the Indigenous Peoples of a Canadian province or territory, or a state or region in the United States.
Canadian Heritage also notes that every NAIG has a cultural program. It celebrates Indigenous cultural heritage through art, music, food and traditional artisans.
History: from the 1970s to 1990
The idea is older than the Games themselves. The NAIG Council's history page traces these steps:
- 1971: Native Summer Games in Enoch, Alberta, with 3,000 participants in 13 sports.
- 1973: Western Canada Native Winter Games on the Blood Reserve (Kainai) in Alberta.
- 1975: a National Indian Athletic Association meeting in Reno, Nevada, decides to organize Indigenous Games.
- 1977: Willie Littlechild brings a motion to the World Council of Indigenous Peoples in Sweden to host international Indigenous Games. It passes unanimously.
- 1990: the first official North American Indigenous Games are held in Edmonton, Alberta.
The NAIG Council itself formed in 1992 and 1993, with support from the Edmonton and Prince Albert hosts. The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador describes it as a 26-member council. It has representatives from 13 provinces and territories in Canada and 13 regions in the United States.
Host cities since 1990
The NAIG Council's past games page lists every edition so far:
| Year | Host | Participants | Sports |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Edmonton, Alberta | 3,000 | 15 |
| 1993 | Prince Albert, Saskatchewan | 4,400 | 15 |
| 1995 | Blaine, Minnesota | 8,500 | 17 |
| 1997 | Victoria, British Columbia | 5,000 | 16 |
| 2002 | Winnipeg, Manitoba | 6,500 | 16 |
| 2006 | Denver, Colorado | 8,000 | 16 |
| 2008 | Cowichan, British Columbia | 4,700 | 14 |
| 2014 | Regina, Saskatchewan | 5,000 | 15 |
| 2017 | Toronto, Ontario | 4,800 | 15 |
| 2023 | Halifax, Nova Scotia | not yet listed | not yet listed |
The Aboriginal Sport Circle says Halifax 2023 ran July 15 to 23. It had more than 5,000 participants in 16 sport categories, with teams from 14 Canadian provinces and territories and 12 US regions. It was the first time NAIG was held in Atlantic Canada.
Saskatchewan's turn as host
Saskatchewan has hosted the Games twice. Prince Albert hosted the second NAIG in 1993. Regina hosted the eighth in 2014.
CBC News reported that about 3,700 young athletes from Canada and the US competed in Regina. The Games ran for seven days across venues in the city. First Nations University of Canada hosted the closing ceremonies and a cultural village with a teepee village.
Team Saskatchewan finished second overall at home with 159 medals, one behind British Columbia's 160. But Saskatchewan won 72 gold medals, the most of any team. CBC quoted Saskatchewan men's basketball coach Michael Linklater on why team sport matters:
"A team is a positive way to be a part of something. People who are missing that in their personal lives can get it from having that team experience and bonding."
Sports at the Games
The number of sports changes from Games to Games, usually between 14 and 17. Team Saskatchewan's website lists 14 sports it prepares athletes for:
- Archery
- Athletics
- Badminton
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Canoe/kayak
- Golf
- Lacrosse
- Riflery
- Soccer
- Softball
- Swimming
- Volleyball
- Wrestling
For the 2028 Games, the NAIG Council says to expect 15 contemporary and traditional sport competitions, plus a cultural program with Indigenous performers, artists and cultural groups.
Team Saskatchewan and how athletes qualify
Athletes do not enter NAIG on their own. They compete for their province, territory or US region. In our province, that team is Team Saskatchewan.
Team Saskatchewan says it brings about 500 athletes, coaches and team managers to the Games. A steering committee runs the team, with people from Saskatchewan Sport, the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN), the Métis Nation and the NAIG Council. Derek Rope is Chef de Mission and Crystal Francis is Assistant Chef de Mission.
The team's results are strong. It placed first overall at Halifax 2023 with 175 medals (51 gold, 63 silver, 61 bronze). It placed second at Toronto 2017 with 166 medals. The team says it has won six overall titles.
The selection path
Each sport has a coordinator who runs athlete development, trials and what Team Saskatchewan calls a fair and transparent selection process. From the team's website, the general path looks like this:
- Create an athlete profile through Team Saskatchewan's online sign-up.
- Register for your sport's tryout or ID camp.
- Attend the camp or tryout. Some sports hold regional sessions first, then final tryouts by invitation.
- Wait for selection through that sport's selection process, overseen by its coordinator.
Details vary by sport and by Games. For the 2023 cycle, the team's tryout page listed camps in places like Regina, Saskatoon, Prince Albert, North Battleford and Moose Jaw. Most tryout fees were $75, and divisions were set by birth year, such as 19U, 16U and 14U. Swimmers also had to be registered with a swim club. Always check the current tryout page, since dates, fees and age groups change.
Upcoming Games: 2028
The next Games were planned for Calgary in 2027. On August 7, 2025, the NAIG Council withdrew Calgary's hosting rights. The council said critical benchmarks could not be met.
In October 2025, the council moved the next Games to summer 2028. It also adjusted age categories so athletes eligible for 2027 stay eligible for 2028. A Canada-wide bid process opened November 27, 2025, with expressions of interest due February 20, 2026 and host selection set for June 2026.
The council expects about 5,250 participants from up to 700 Indigenous Nations, over two back-to-back competition periods. Check the NAIG Council and Team Saskatchewan sites for the confirmed host and dates.
Why NAIG matters to us
We started XUSI in 2020 as two brothers from a small reserve community in northern Saskatchewan. Read more about our story. Programs that give Indigenous youth something to work toward are close to our hearts. That is also why we run our Strong Roots Strong Future youth workshops.
Teams, clubs and community groups often want matching gear for events. If your group needs custom shirts, see our screen printing page. We print with a 10 garment minimum, and you get a full quote before anything is printed. For hoodies, our guide to custom hoodies for teams and clubs covers the basics.
Questions people ask
When did the North American Indigenous Games start?
The first official Games were held in Edmonton, Alberta in 1990. The idea goes back to the 1970s.
Who can compete at NAIG?
Athletes must be born of North American Indigenous ancestry and compete for a Canadian province or territory, or a US state or region.
Has Saskatchewan hosted NAIG?
Yes, twice: Prince Albert in 1993 and Regina in 2014.
How do I try out for Team Saskatchewan?
Create an athlete profile on the Team Saskatchewan NAIG website, then register for your sport's tryout or ID camp.
Sources
- North American Indigenous Games Council: Home
- North American Indigenous Games Council: History
- North American Indigenous Games Council: Past Games
- North American Indigenous Games Council: News
- Canadian Heritage: About the North American Indigenous Games movement
- Government of Newfoundland and Labrador: North American Indigenous Games
- Aboriginal Sport Circle: NAIG 2023
- CBC News: North American Indigenous Games wrap up in Regina
- Team Saskatchewan NAIG: About
- Team Saskatchewan NAIG: Sports
- Team Saskatchewan NAIG: Tryouts and ID Camps
- ISPARC: The NAIG Council Retracts Calgary Hosting Rights
- ISPARC: NAIG Council Announces New Timeline and Bid Process for 2028
- ISPARC: NAIG Council Launches the 2028 Bid Process
Written by XUSI, an Indigenous-owned clothing and screen printing brand from Saskatoon on Treaty 6 territory. Our story · What the words mean