The Asian Games 2026, scheduled from September 19 to October 4 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, will feature 43 sports, 71 disciplines and 469 medal events.
More than 11,000 athletes from 45 countries and regions are expected to compete at the 20th edition of the continental multi-sport meet.
Aichi-Nagoya 2026 will be the third Asian Games hosted by Japan after Tokyo 1958 and Hiroshima 1994.
The programme ranges from Olympic staples such as athletics, swimming, badminton and boxing to competitions with a strong Asian identity, including kabaddi, sepaktakraw, wushu, kurash and jiu-jitsu.
Some sports and disciplines will also make their Asian Games debuts in Aichi-Nagoya.
Padel and teqball were added to the programme in March 2026, taking the number of sports from 41 to 43.
Surfing will also make its Asian Games debut, with men’s and women’s shortboard events. BMX freestyle, a new discipline under cycling, will have men’s and women’s park competitions.
Mixed martial arts (MMA) will make its Asian Games debut as a discipline under combat sports, alongside jiu-jitsu and kurash. Six MMA gold medals – four men’s and two women’s – will be contested.
Virtual taekwondo has also been added to the programme for the first time, with one mixed individual medal event.
Breaking and esports, both of which made their official Asian Games debuts at Hangzhou 2023, have been retained for Aichi-Nagoya.
Although the opening ceremony is scheduled for September 19, sporting action will begin nine days earlier, with the men’s basketball competition getting underway on September 10.
read more: https://www.olympics.com/en/news/asian-games-2026-sports-list
