2026 Asian Games facts and figures

The 20th Asian Games, known as the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, kicked off on September 19 and will conclude on October 4. This edition of the quadrennial multi-sport event features 469 medal events across 43 sports, an increase from the 40 sports at the previous edition held in Hangzhou. Japan, hosting the Games for the third time, has previously organized the event in Tokyo and Hiroshima.

Organizers had anticipated around 15,000 athletes and officials from 45 participating countries, but the number surged to about 17,000, causing accommodation challenges. Despite a reduction in the number of sports compared to Hangzhou, the Aichi-Nagoya Games will showcase novelties such as mixed martial arts, padel, surfing, virtual taekwondo, and teqball.

Several traditional Asian Games events, including chess, go, Chinese chess, dragon boat racing, roller skating, and marathon swimming, have been dropped. The Games will also act as a qualifying route for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, with athletes potentially securing direct quota places in various sports. China has dominated the medal table at every edition since 1982, with a record 201 gold medals in Hangzhou. Japan and South Korea follow as the top two countries.