The 20th Asian Games kicked off on September 19 with an opening ceremony in Nagoya, Japan, and they will run until October 4. This is the third time Japan has hosted the multi-sport event, after hosting it in 1958 and 1994.
The 2026 edition features 43 sports, totalling 469 medal events. More than 11,000 athletes from 45 countries and regions across Asia are competing in the events. Padel, teqball and surfing are among the sports making their debut in the Games this year.
South Korea’s Lee Jung-hyun (front) fights Jordan’s Amin Abu Hawwas (right) for possession of the ball. Photo: Reuters
Iraq’s Samah Shakir Abed (right) controls the ball in a game of teqball against the Laos team. Photo: AP
China’s Wu Mengjie spikes the ball during a preliminary round match of volleyball between Kazakhstan and China. Photo: Xinhua
India’s Avinash Sable in action during the men’s 3,000-metre steeplechase final. Photo: Reuters
Japan’s Ayaka Kato-Stafford (top) hits a shot during the women’s cricket match between Japan and India. Photo: AFP
Honohon, the mascot of the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026, is a fire spirit with ears like a shachihoko – a sea monster in Japanese folklore. Photo: Reuters
Seo Chang-wan of South Korea competes during the semi-final match of the men’s individual modern pentathlon obstacle event. Photo: EPA/Yonhap
