The 2026 Asian Games Nagoya officially begin today in Japan, bringing athletes from 45 countries and regions together for one of Asia’s biggest sporting events.
The 20th edition of the Asian Games will run from September 19 to October 4 across Aichi-Nagoya and other Japanese venues. More than 17,000 athletes and officials are expected to take part, with 469 medal events spread across 43 sports.
Japan Welcomes the Asian Games Again
The Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games are particularly significant for Japan because this is the country’s first time hosting the event since Hiroshima in 1994.
Japan previously hosted the Asian Games in Tokyo in 1958, making the 2026 edition only its third time as host. The return comes five years after the Tokyo Olympics were held under major COVID-19 restrictions that prevented the normal atmosphere surrounding a global sporting event.
The opening ceremony takes place at the Nagoya City Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium, which will also host athletics during the competition.
More Sports, More Medal Opportunities
The 2026 Asian Games sports programme has expanded from the previous edition in Hangzhou, with 43 sports and 469 medal events.
Several sports will make their Asian Games debut, including mixed martial arts, padel, surfing, virtual taekwondo and teqball. Esports and breaking will also return after their recent introduction to the Games.
Some traditional sports have been removed from the programme, showing how the Asian Games continue to change in response to sporting trends and audience interest.
The scale is also visible in the number of participants. Organisers initially planned for around 15,000 athletes and officials, but registrations have pushed the expected total to about 17,000.
The Games Are Already Underway in Some Sports
Although the Asian Games 2026 opening ceremony is today, competition in some sports started earlier.
Men’s basketball began on September 10, while other events have also been scheduled before the formal opening because of the size of the tournament and the time needed to complete team competitions. This means the medal race has already started even as the wider Games officially open in Nagoya.
A Route to the 2028 Olympics
The Games will also matter beyond the medals won in Japan. Several competitions will serve as qualification routes for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, with direct Olympic quota places available in sports including archery, hockey, sailing, squash, surfing, tennis and triathlon.
That gives athletes another reason to treat the tournament as an important career opportunity rather than simply a continental championship.
China enters the competition looking to maintain its long dominance of the Asian Games medal table. China has topped the standings at every edition since 1982 and won 201 gold medals at Hangzhou 2022, ahead of Japan and South Korea.
Over the next two weeks, attention will shift from the opening ceremony to the medal races, Olympic qualification battles and performances from a new generation of Asian athletes. With 45 countries and regions represented, the Asian Games Japan 2026 will provide a broad test of sporting strength across the continent.
