Asian Games 2026: Dates, Venues, Sports, Schedule and Everything You Need to Know

The 2026 Asian Games are going to see thousands of participants from all across Asia compete in various disciplines over more than two weeks. Taking place from September 19 to October 4, 2026, this 20th edition of a continental multi-sport tournament will be held in Aichi-Nagoya.

Famous for being Asia’s equivalent of the Olympics, the tournament includes international Olympic sports as well as those popular on the continent. Whether you like track & field, swimming, gymnastics, kabaddi, wushu, or sepak takraw – there is something to your liking at Asian Games.

The Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026 are estimated to attract over 10,000 competitors making this tournament one of the largest of its kind in Japan in 2026.

When Are the 2026 Asian Games?

The 20th Asian Games will take place in Aichi-Nagoya from September 19 to October 4, 2026.

The Opening Ceremony of the 20th Asian Games is scheduled to start the tournament on September 19. All sporting competitions will last two weeks until October 4 when the Closing Ceremony takes place.

Besides enjoying world-class sports competitions, this schedule will give you an opportunity to enjoy sightseeing around Nagoya and Aichi Prefecture. You can visit other nearby regions such as Gifu and Mie starting from Nagoya city.

Important Dates Related to Asian Games 2026

Some of the important dates related to the event are as follows,

• 19 September 2026: Opening Ceremony
• 23 to 29 September 2026: Athletics event held in Paloma Mizuho Stadium
• 4 October 2026: Closing Ceremony

Major sporting events will be held during the course of the games, and preliminary rounds will typically be scheduled to occur in the early stages of the tournament with many finals and medals being awarded during the latter part of the games.

Whose Mascot Is That for Asian Games 2026?

Honohon is the mascot for the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games.

Honohon has been inspired by Shachihoko which is a mythical beast with the body of a carp and the head of a tiger. Shachihoko statues are closely associated with the Nagoya Castle which makes it very relevant to the host city of the game.

The mascot portrays the overall message of the games of bringing sportsmen from all over Asia under one roof.

The official motto of the games is “Imagine One Asia”.

In Which Cities Will Asian Games 2026 Be Organized?

Even though the event is known by the name of Nagoya Asian Games, the events will not be held only in Nagoya. Several cities will organize some of the competitions of the Games in Aichi Prefecture and some selected areas nearby.

Nagoya will play host city role for major competitions during the games, and spectators can enjoy watching the games from different parts of Aichi.

IG Arena

• IG Arena, which is situated near Nagoya Castle, is one of the newly developed major sporting arenas in the area, and it will be one of the important venues during the Games.
• Modern IG Arena will be hosting some basketball and judo events. This modern arena can hold 17,000 spectators and provides good public transport connections, and it will attract many spectators during the Games.

Paloma Mizuho Sports Park

• Reconstructed Paloma Mizuho Stadium will be one of the key venues of the Games. The venue will be hosting Opening and Closing Ceremonies, and some of the athletics competitions.
• Athletics competitions will be held from 23 September to 29 September. This makes the stadium an important venue for all those fans who eagerly await watching athletics competitions. Other events like football and rugby sevens will also be played in the Mizuho Sports Park.

Nagoya City General Gymnasium

• Famously known as Rainbow Hall, the Nagoya City General Gymnasium will accommodate several forms of gymnastics at the Asian Games.
• Artistic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics and trampoline gymnastics are some of the sporting events that will be hosted here.
• The location of the venue near popular places like Atsuta Shrine and Nagoya Congress Center is an added advantage as it is ideal for tourists intending to do sightseeing after or before attending sporting events.

Nippon Gaishi Sports Plaza

• The Nippon Gaishi Sports Plaza is yet another popular sports venue in Nagoya. Here the games of water polo will take place.
• The venue is located near JR Kasadera Station, making it convenient to access from other places in the city.

Port of Nagoya

• The Port of Nagoya area will hold several sporting events taking place outdoors and within the urban areas. In addition, its seaside location makes it ideal for tourism activities.
• Some of the attractions in the area which tourists may visit during events include the Nagoya Port Aquarium, the Antarctic research vessel Fuji and the harbours in the vicinity.

Other Aichi Venues

• Several other cities in Aichi Prefecture are also expected to play host to sporting events at the Asian Games. Some of these cities include Toyota, Okazaki, Ichinomiya, Toyohashi, Komaki, Anjo, Tahara, Gamagori and Tokoname.

What Sports Would Be at Asian Games 2026?

There are several sports available during Asian Games is one of its key characteristics.

Traditional Olympic sports like athletics, swimming, diving, gymnastics, basketball, football, volleyball, tennis, badminton, cycling, archery, shooting, weightlifting, wrestling, boxing, judo, karate, taekwondo and fencing are going to play an important role there.

Sports like canoeing, rowing and sailing, which require endurance and water skills, are also going to be included in the sports programme.

However, there are many other sports in Asian Games that are not present in the Olympics.

Asian Sports That Are Not in the Olympic

This event offers people an opportunity to watch many unique Asian sports.

Wushu is a martial art which combines elements of Chinese martial arts with some choreography and fighting.

Sepak takraw is a ball sport played all over Southeast Asia where players try to control a ball with feet, knees, chest and head, passing the ball over the net. Because of its acrobatics nature it is fascinating for first-time watchers.

Kabaddi is an Indian game where players try to tag their opponents from the rival side and come back to their half without being caught.

Dragon boat racing is Chinese race boat sport where players race in a long narrow boat trying to beat the opponent in speed.

Sports like baseball, softball, cricket and eSports are also available there.

How the Asian Games Differ from the Olympics

Despite having several similarities with the Olympic Games in terms of participating disciplines, the Asian Games carry distinctively Asian character. The tournament unites sportspeople from nations that have very different sporting culture, thus allowing sportsmen representing both popular disciplines internationally and regionally to participate in the same tournament.

From the audience’s perspective, a single trip gives the opportunity to watch not only such disciplines as running or gymnastics but also a thrilling game of kabaddi or sepak takraw.

Support of fans, of course, adds to the atmosphere, especially when it comes to popular sports in certain Asian countries.