Asiad to promote friendship, peace

NAGOYA, Aichi Pref. – Guided by the slogans “Imagine One Asia” and “Imagine One Heart,” the 20th Asian Games (Aichi-Nagoya 2026) and the 5th Asian Para Games will bring together athletes from across Asia.

The Asian Games will take place over 16 days beginning Sept. 19, featuring 43 sports across 53 venues. The Asian Para Games, the first to be held in Japan, will follow on Oct. 18, with 18 sports across 19 venues over seven days.

The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), which organizes the Games, hopes to bring people together across languages, cultures, and borders and pass international friendship and peace on to future generations.

The Games will welcome about 15,000 athletes and team officials from all 45 countries and regions represented in the OCA. Participants will include Palestine and Iran; Southeast Asian countries such as Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Myanmar and Singapore, and South Asian countries including Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Exploring new sports

Traditional Asian sports such as sepak takraw and kabaddi will be among the highlights, along with several sports making their debut.

Combat sports include jiu-jitsu, kurash, kenpo, wushu, and mixed martial arts (MMA).

Padel, which combines elements of tennis and squash, originated in Mexico in 1969 and has since become popular around the world.

Teqball, which originated in Hungary in 2012, combines table tennis and soccer. Players use only their feet and head and must return the ball to the opposing side within three touches.

Freestyle BMX, also contested at the 2024 Paris Olympics, features riders performing jumps, spins, and other tricks while competing on difficulty and originality. Esports, also included at the previous Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, is attracting attention as well.

SEA athletes in the spotlight

Southeast Asian athletes will be among those to watch.

Indonesia is a badminton powerhouse. At the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, Susi Susanti won Indonesia’s first Olympic gold medal in women’s singles, while Indonesian players swept the men’s singles podium, taking gold, silver, and bronze.

The country has since produced many badminton stars who have become national icons and role models for children. Its success is supported by government backing and a system for identifying and developing talented athletes.

Basketball is hugely popular in the Philippines, with both the men’s and women’s teams among the very best in Asia. Boxing, baseball, and soccer also enjoy strong followings.

Malaysia is another badminton stronghold and has produced many internationally competitive players, while soccer is the most popular sport in Singapore.

At Aichi-Nagoya, Southeast Asian athletes are expected to challenge Japan, China, and South Korea, particularly in soccer, badminton, field hockey, and table tennis.

Cruise ship as athletes’ village

A distinctive feature of Aichi-Nagoya 2026 is the decision to forgo building an athletes’ village to keep costs as low as possible.

Instead, the Costa Serena, a 110,000-ton Italian-flagged cruise ship, will accommodate team delegations. The ship will be moored at Nagoya’s Kinjo Pier and house several thousand people.

Another first is a mobile accommodation facility developed as a new model offering excellent accessibility.

Very few competition venues have been newly built, with IG Arena (Aichi International Arena) being one exception. Most stadiums and gymnasiums are existing facilities upgraded for the Games.

Paloma Mizuho Stadium in Nagoya, the main venue and site of the opening and closing ceremonies, has been renovated to seat 30,000 spectators.

Inspiring children

Kosei Inoue, chef de mission of the Japanese delegation, spoke about the significance of holding the Games in Japan.

“Hosting the Games in our own country gives us an opportunity to bring the value of sport directly to society. Above all, I want children to see top-level competition firsthand,” he said. “Seeing elite athletes, including those representing Japan, compete at their best should inspire children to take on challenges of their own.”

Inoue added, “I hope that seeing the athletes take on challenges will bring Japan together, and that their passion will unite Asia as well.”

Ever onward

The Games will be Japan’s largest international multi-sport event since the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, held in 2021.

They will provide visitors and residents of Nagoya and Aichi Prefecture with an opportunity to experience the energy of world-class athletes in action.

At venues throughout the Games, spectators are also expected to see Japanese athletes interacting with their counterparts from across Asia, regardless of who wins or loses.

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