Asian Games 2026: All you need to know

The Asian Games 2026 is all set to begin at Nagoya, in the Aichi prefecture in Japan. The quadrennial multi-sport event will officially start on September 19 and will go on till October 4.

A total of 469 medals will be on offer in 43 sports, which is in fact 12 less than previous Hangzhou Asian Games, with events happening across 54 venues. Sports like freestyle BMX, mixed martial arts, padel, surfing, teqball, and virtual taekwondo will make their Asian Games debut.

While the opening ceremony, which is the official start of the Games, will take place on September 19, events like basketball, football, volleyball, cricket and modern pentathlon have already been happening since September 10. Meanwhile, the closing ceremony is scheduled for October 4.

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Following are some facts and figures about the 20th edition of the quadrennial multi-sport event:

* This year's edition runs from September 19 to October 4, although competition began on September 10 with the start of the men's basketball tournament.

* Japan is hosting the Games for the third time, having previously staged the event in Tokyo in 1958 and in Hiroshima in 1994. It was one of 11 participating countries in the first Asian Games held in 1951.

* A total of 90 male and 97 female athletes will represent Bangladesh in 22 disciplines.

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* Organisers had budgeted for around 15,000 athletes and officials from ⁠45 participating countries and regions, but registrations swelled to about 17,000, putting a strain on accommodation availability.

* There will be 469 medal events in 43 sports, up from the 40 sports contested at the previous edition in Hangzhou three years ago.

* Competitions will be spread across Aichi Prefecture and other parts of Japan, with Tokyo hosting the swimming events and Osaka among the cities staging the football tournament.

* Aichi-Nagoya will feature several Asian Games newcomers, including mixed martial arts, padel and surfing, as well as virtual taekwondo and teqball, which combines ⁠aspects of football and table tennis.

* Chess, go, Chinese chess (xiangqi) and bridge, all of which previously featured on the Asian Games programme, have been dropped for Aichi-Nagoya, along with dragon boat racing, roller skating and marathon swimming (open water swimming).

* Esports, which was a demonstration sport at the 2018 Asian Games ⁠before making its medal debut in Hangzhou, has been retained on the programme. Breaking, also known as breakdancing, which made its Games debut in Hangzhou, will also feature.

* The Aichi-Nagoya Games will also ⁠serve as a qualifying route for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, with athletes able to secure direct quota places in archery, hockey, sailing, squash, surfing, tennis and triathlon.

* China has ⁠topped the Asian Games medal table at every edition since 1982. At Hangzhou, the hosts secured a record-breaking 201 gold medals. Japan were second with 52, followed by South Korea with 42.