Asian Games 2026: The Asian Games 2026 have brought together some of the biggest sporting names from across the continent, with Aichi and Nagoya in Japan hosting the 20th edition of the continental multi-sport event.
The Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games are being held from September 19 to October 4, 2026, with athletes competing across a wide-ranging sports programme. The official organisers currently list 43 sports and 54 venues, making this one of the biggest sporting festivals ever staged in Japan.
From cricket and athletics to badminton, shooting, wrestling, hockey, football and esports, the Games offer a packed schedule for sports fans. Several traditional Asian disciplines are also part of the programme, including kabaddi, sepak takraw, wushu, kurash and jiu-jitsu.
Asian Games 2026: 20 Events to Watch
Here are 20 major events and sporting disciplines that are attracting particular attention during Aichi-Nagoya 2026.
1. Cricket
Cricket remains one of the most followed sports among Asian audiences. The 2026 Asian Games feature T20 cricket for both men and women, giving teams another major opportunity to compete for continental honours. The official sports programme lists two cricket events.
2. Athletics
Athletics is one of the core sports of the Asian Games and features a huge range of track and field competitions. The 2026 programme includes sprint races, middle- and long-distance events, hurdles, relays, jumps, throws, combined events, marathon and race walking.
3. Badminton
Badminton is another major attraction, particularly for fans following the leading Asian badminton nations. The programme includes men’s and women’s singles, doubles, mixed doubles and team competitions.
4. Hockey
Field hockey has a strong following across Asia and is expected to be an important medal sport during the Games. The competition provides another major stage for the continent’s leading hockey nations.
5. Shooting
Shooting traditionally produces a large number of medal opportunities at Asian multi-sport competitions. The discipline is included in the Aichi-Nagoya sports programme and will be closely followed by countries with strong shooting programmes.
6. Wrestling
Wrestling is another major combat sport on the Asian Games programme. Different weight categories provide multiple opportunities for athletes to compete for medals.
7. Boxing
Boxing features men’s and women’s weight categories at Aichi-Nagoya 2026. The official programme lists 11 boxing events, covering several divisions.
8. Swimming
Swimming is one of the compulsory sports of the Asian Games and offers a large collection of medal events. The 2026 programme includes freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly, individual medley and relay races.
9. Archery
Archery combines individual precision with team competition. The Aichi-Nagoya programme includes both recurve and compound disciplines, with men’s, women’s and mixed events.
10. Football
Football remains one of the most popular team sports in Asia. The Asian Games provide a major continental platform for national teams and young players competing under the tournament’s eligibility regulations.
11. Table Tennis
Table tennis is another sport where Asian nations have historically produced world-class athletes. Singles, doubles and team competitions create several opportunities for high-level contests.
12. Weightlifting
Weightlifting brings together athletes across multiple weight categories and remains one of the major strength sports on the Asian Games programme.
13. Gymnastics
The 2026 Games feature artistic, rhythmic and trampoline gymnastics. These disciplines combine technical difficulty, precision and execution, making gymnastics one of the visually distinctive parts of the competition.
14. Kabaddi
Kabaddi has a special place in the Asian Games because of its strong South Asian roots. It is one of the regional sports included in the continental programme and continues to be a major attraction for fans in countries such as India and neighbouring nations.
15. Sepak Takraw
Sepak takraw represents Southeast Asia’s contribution to the Asian Games sporting programme. Combining elements of volleyball and football-style kicking skills, the sport is known for spectacular athletic movements.
16. Judo
Judo brings another major combat-sport component to the Games. Athletes compete across weight categories, with matches decided through throws, holds and other recognised techniques.
17. Esports
Esports continues to have an important presence at Aichi-Nagoya 2026. The official programme includes 11 esports events, featuring titles such as Street Fighter 6, TEKKEN 8, The King of Fighters XV, Pokémon UNITE, League of Legends, PUBG MOBILE and other games.
18. Breaking
Breaking adds a modern urban-sport element to the Asian Games. The programme includes B-Boys and B-Girls competitions.
19. Sport Climbing
Sport climbing tests speed, strength, technique and problem-solving ability. It is part of the broad Olympic-style sports offering at Aichi-Nagoya.
20. Mixed and Newer Events
The 2026 programme also includes sports such as padel, teqball, mixed-team competitions and BMX freestyle, reflecting the expanding variety of disciplines at the Asian Games. The official programme covers traditional, Olympic and regionally distinctive sports.
How Many Sports Are in the Asian Games 2026?
The official Aichi-Nagoya 2026 website currently lists 43 sports. These include athletics, aquatics, archery, badminton, baseball, basketball, boxing, cricket, cycling, equestrian, esports, fencing, football, golf, gymnastics, handball, hockey, judo, kabaddi, karate, rowing, rugby, sailing, shooting, squash, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis, volleyball, weightlifting, wrestling and wushu, among others.
The programme also includes several disciplines that showcase the sporting traditions of different parts of Asia. The organisers specifically highlight kurash, wushu, kabaddi, sepak takraw and jiu-jitsu as regional sports represented at the Games.
Asian Games 2026 Venues
Competition is being staged across 54 venues, with facilities spread around Aichi Prefecture and the wider host region. Nagoya is at the centre of the Games, while other locations provide venues for individual sports.
One of the key facilities is the Nagoya City Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium, which was renovated and opened in April 2026. It is hosting athletics competitions as well as marathon events and is also being used for the opening and closing ceremonies.
Asian Games 2026: Why the Games Matter
The Asian Games are more than a collection of individual competitions. They provide athletes with an opportunity to compete against the strongest competitors from across Asia while giving emerging sports and regional disciplines a major international platform.
For established Olympic sports such as athletics, swimming, badminton and boxing, the Games offer high-level continental competition. At the same time, sports such as kabaddi, sepak takraw and wushu highlight the diverse sporting cultures found across Asia.
The inclusion of esports, breaking, padel, teqball and other newer disciplines also demonstrates how the Asian Games programme continues to evolve.
Asian Games 2026: What to Follow
With the competition running through October 4, fans can follow medal races across a broad range of sports. Cricket, athletics, badminton, hockey, shooting, wrestling and boxing are among the disciplines likely to receive significant attention, while esports and regional sports provide additional variety.
For Indian sports fans, the Games also provide a major opportunity to follow athletes across cricket, shooting, wrestling, badminton, hockey, athletics, archery, boxing and kabaddi.
Aichi-Nagoya 2026 therefore offers far more than a single headline sport. From the track and swimming pool to the cricket field, boxing ring, kabaddi court and esports arena, the Asian Games bring together a remarkable variety of competition under one continental sporting festival.
As the Games move toward the October 4 closing date, the remaining medal contests will determine which nations finish at the top of the final medal table and which athletes emerge as the stars of Aichi-Nagoya 2026.
Asian Game 2026 Medal
| Rank | Country | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| 1 | China | 150 | 66 | 59 | 275 |
| 2 | Japan | 50 | 76 | 73 | 199 |
| 3 | South Korea | 24 | 30 | 48 | 102 |
| 4 | Uzbekistan | 16 | 19 | 19 | 54 |
| 5 | Thailand | 12 | 10 | 12 | 34 |
| 6 | Iran | 11 | 16 | 12 | 39 |
| 7 | Bahrain | 11 | 5 | 5 | 21 |
| 8 | India | 10 | 21 | 29 | 60 |
| 9 | Kazakhstan | 9 | 16 | 31 | 56 |
| 10 | North Korea | 7 | 6 | 7 | 20 |
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