Asian Games 2026: Complete List of Schedule, Dates, Events, and Venue Details

The Asian Games 2026, officially the 20th edition, will be held in Aichi Prefecture and Nagoya, Japan, from September 19 to October 4. This edition carries special significance, marking a return to the traditional four-year cycle and coinciding with the 75th anniversary of the very first Asian Games held back in 1951. Around 500 Indian athletes will compete across the Games, aiming to build on India's strong showing at the previous edition.

Manu Bhaker to Carry Indian Flag at Asian Games Opening Ceremony 2026

Star shooter Manu Bhaker has been given the honour of carrying the Indian flag at the opening ceremony. This recognition reflects her growing stature in Indian sport, and she'll also compete in multiple shooting events during the Games, making her one of the most closely watched athletes from the Indian camp.

20th Edition of the Asian Games and the Third Time Japan Is Hosting the Event

This marks the 20th edition of the Asian Games, and it's the third time Japan has taken on hosting duties. The Aichi-Nagoya region has been chosen to host this year's event, continuing the country's long-standing association with this major continental sporting festival.

Schedule for Each Sport in Asian Games 2026

The Games officially run from September 19 to October 4, 2026, though action in several sports began even before the opening ceremony. Here's a quick look at key dates for India's campaign:

1. September 17: India's campaign begins with teqball, two days ahead of the opening ceremony
2. September 18: Indian women's cricket team plays its quarter-final against Japan
3. September 20: PV Sindhu competes in the women's badminton team preliminary round; Indian men's hockey team takes on Indonesia in Pool A
4. September 23: Mirabai Chanu competes in the women's 49 kg weightlifting event; Manu Bhaker takes part in the 10m air pistol individual qualification
5. September 25: Manu Bhaker competes in the 10m air pistol mixed team event, with medal rounds on the same day
6. September 27–28: Manu Bhaker competes in the women's 25m pistol event, with the precision stage on the 27th and the rapid stage plus final on the 28th
7. September 28: Indian men's cricket team plays its quarter-final against the Group A runner-up
8. October 2: Aman Sehrawat competes in men's freestyle 57 kg wrestling, with medal rounds the same day

Venue of Asian Games 2026

Aichi-Nagoya in Japan is the host region for this edition, with competitions spread across multiple sporting arenas and stadiums specially built or upgraded to handle the scale of the Games.

Multi-Sport Events of the Asian Games 2026

This edition features a massive 43 sports, blending traditional Olympic disciplines with popular regional games like kabaddi, sepaktakraw, and wushu. Several new sports make their debut this year, including

1. Padel
2. Teqball
3. Surfing (shortboard)
4. BMX freestyle
5. Mixed martial arts (MMA)
6. Virtual taekwondo

Esports and breaking, introduced in earlier editions, continue to remain part of the program, showing the Games' growing focus on modern and youth-oriented sporting formats.

Complete List of Indian Athletes to Participate in Asian Games 2026

Athletics forms the backbone of India's squad, with 73 athletes competing, the largest representation from any single sport. Here are some of the key names and their events:

1. Avinash Sable – Men's 3000m steeplechase
2. Gulveer Singh – 1500m, 5000m, and 10000m races
3. Tajinderpal Singh Toor – Men's shot put (two-time defending champion)
4. Jyothi Yarraji – Women's sprints and hurdles
5. Tejaswin Shankar – Men's decathlon
6. Yash Vir Singh – Men's javelin throw (replacing injured Neeraj Chopra)
7. Manu Bhaker – Shooting (10m air pistol, 25m pistol events)
8. Mirabai Chanu – Women's 49 kg weightlifting
9. PV Sindhu – Women's badminton
10. Aman Sehrawat – Men's freestyle wrestling, 57 kg
11. Shreyas Iyer – Captain, men's T20 cricket team
12. Harmanpreet Kaur – Captain, women's T20 cricket team

India enters this edition looking to better its performance from Hangzhou 2023, where it won 107 medals, including 28 gold. With strong title defences lined up in hockey, cricket, and kabaddi, the Indian contingent is expected to put up a competitive show throughout the Games.