The Asian Games are the biggest sports competition in Asia that takes place every four years. They were first held in 1951, soon after the end of World War II, with the aim of reestablishing friendship among nations through sports and contributing to world peace by recognizing diversity. The 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games are scheduled to take place from 19 September to 4 October 2026, and will be hosted by Aichi Prefecture and the city of Nagoya for the third time after Tokyo in 1958 and Hiroshima in 1994. The Games are co-hosted by 45 national and regional Olympic Committees of Asia, and this event will provide an opportunity to further deepen growing exchange within Asia.
The AINAGOC Board of Directors decided to retain cricket and include Mixed Martial Arts in the 2026 Asian Games at its meeting on Monday. These two events will be incorporated into the sports programme as medal events, and will be classed under Combat Sports. The decision was based on the fact that the two events have a high number of participations in Japan. Moreover, cricket has been played at the three previous editions of the Asian Games.
The AINAGOC is preparing a transport plan to ensure smooth transportation for athletes and spectators during the 2026 Asian Games. The plan includes consideration of shuttle buses between competition venues and the nearest public transport stations, as well as measures to curb private cars around Games-related facilities.