Aichi–Nagoya Asian Games 2026: A Massive Sporting Event Returns to Japan
Asia’s largest sporting event returns to Japan this autumn as Nagoya and its surrounding Aichi Prefecture host the Asian Games, featuring more than 11,000 athletes across 43 sports from September 19.
The Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games are set to return to Japan from September 19 to October 4, 2026. With 11,000 athletes and 6,000 officials expected to participate from 45 countries, this will be Asia's largest sporting event. More than 43 sports will be featured, exceeding the number of sports at the Summer Olympics. The majority of events will be held in Aichi Prefecture, while others will take place in Gifu, Shizuoka, Tokyo, and Osaka.
Asia's first Asian Games took place in New Delhi, India, in 1951, with the games held every four years thereafter. The scale of the games has continued to expand, with the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya games expected to see a larger athlete count than ever before. China has dominated the medal rankings in recent years, but Japan and South Korea are in close competition for second and third place.
Japan has hosted the Asian Games three times, with the first being in 1958, followed by 1994. The 2026 Aichi-Nagoya games will mark the third Summer Asian Games to be held in Japan.
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