The 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, the biggest sporting festival for Asia's 4.8 billion people, opens in 11 days. South Korea is sending 1,052 athletes across 43 sports and is targeting third place overall with 40 to 45 gold medals. The Games will feature an unusually large number of sports making their debut, and are expected to produce new stars as athletes chase spots on the podium.
The Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games run for 16 days through October 4, beginning with the opening ceremony on the 19th at Paloma Mizuho Stadium in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan.
The Summer Asian Games have been held every four years, but this edition comes just three years after the previous one, as the Hangzhou Games were pushed back a year to 2023 because of COVID-19.
Japan is hosting the Summer Asian Games for the third time and the first in 32 years, after Tokyo in 1958 and Hiroshima in 1994.
More than 11,000 athletes from 46 countries will compete for 469 gold medals across 43 sports and 71 disciplines. That is three more sports and 10 more disciplines than at the Hangzhou Games.
Among the attractions are virtual taekwondo, which uses virtual reality technology; padel, which blends elements of tennis and squash; and teqball, a mix of soccer and table tennis. All three have been adopted as official medal sports for the first time at these Games.
In virtual taekwondo, athletes wear body sensors and VR headsets, and their movements are rendered onto avatars that spar with each other. Because there is no physical contact, competitors can face each other regardless of gender or weight class.
Padel is a new sport in which players trade rallies with lightweight rackets on a court smaller than a tennis court. Teqball, often called table tennis played with the feet, is played over a curved table that slopes down at both ends.
The Games will also give a group of next-generation stars a stage to prove themselves in Asia and beyond. Among them are Lee Hyun-jung in basketball, Do Kyung-dong in fencing and Nnamdi Joel-jin in track and field, each of whom has shown standout ability in his own sport. All have drawn attention at international events and will make their Asian Games debuts here.
Lee is the undisputed ace of the men's basketball team. Having sharpened his game across the NCAA, the NBA G League and leagues in Australia and Japan, he will test whether his refined outside shooting translates on the Asian stage. His three-point shot, built on commanding height and a quick release, is seen as the key weapon to break opponents' will to rally at decisive moments. Because he signed an Exhibit 10 deal with the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers — a one-year, non-guaranteed contract — his fate may hinge on how he performs at these Games.
Do Kyung-dong, the secret weapon of South Korea's "Avengers" fencing squad who stunned the world with a run of consecutive touches in the men's team sabre event at the 2024 Paris Olympics, is now aiming to win both individual and team gold at his first Asian Games. Known for fast attacks and bold nerve, Do was still a prospect at the Olympics but has since grown into a world-class fencer, taking individual gold at the Asian Championships and individual silver at the 2026 World Championships. The men's individual sabre event is set for the 23rd, with the team event on the 26th.
Joel-jin, described as a generational talent in the sprints, is another prospect drawing attention. Born to a Korean mother and a Nigerian father, he has recently clocked 10.13 seconds in the 100 meters, the second-fastest mark in South Korean history, and an unofficial 10.07, signaling rapid improvement. He will target gold in the men's 100 meters and the 400-meter relay. His running, powered by explosive spring and speed, is one of the biggest draws in track and field at these Games. The men's 100-meter final is scheduled for the 25th, with the 400-meter relay final on the 28th.
