The UBS Athletics Kids Cup is scaling up its India programme as it enters its third season, with a long-term ambition of engaging one million children through structured athletics competitions.
Following strong growth over the past two years, the initiative is expanding its presence to new cities while strengthening its school-based delivery model and investing in a nationwide ‘train-the-trainers’ programme to embed sports within the education ecosystem.
Organised in India by Dspowerparts and supported by UBS, the programme will be conducted in Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Chennai, with further expansion planned during the season.
The initiative has already reached hundreds of thousands of schoolchildren through competitions focused on running, jumping and throwing events.
The organisers said the one-million target represents a long-term milestone, with current efforts focused on scaling both participation and programme infrastructure.
A major pillar of this approach is the ‘Train-the-Trainer’ programme, which equips physical education teachers to independently conduct athletics activities, ensuring continuity and scalability.
The initiative is modelled on Switzerland’s UBS Kids Cup, which has produced top athletes including indoor heptathlon world record holder Simon Ehammer, and aims to drive physical activity, health and personal development among children aged 7–15.
Competitions are conducted through a structured, multi-stage format, with participants advancing from school-level events to regional and city finals.
The organisers said the programme contributes to broader efforts to strengthen grassroots sports in India, where access to organised athletics remains limited.
