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OCA President Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al-Thani has described the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games as an embodiment of Asia’s shared vision of unity. According to a Qatar News Agency report published on August 18 the president who also leads the Qatar Olympic Committee noted that Asia represents the largest and most diverse continent within the international Olympic movement. Al-Thani said the Games reflect the true strength solidarity and shared vision of uniting the Asian continent. He added Japan has a world-class track record in hosting major sporting events and expressed confidence that Aichi-Nagoya 2026 will set a benchmark for future editions by empowering youth and inspiring the next generation of Asian sport.
The Olympic Council of Asia and the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games Organising Committee planned to mark one month until the event this week. The Games are scheduled to run from September 19 to October 4 bringing together more than 11000 athletes and 6000 officials from 45 countries for 16 days of competition. They will feature 43 sports and 71 disciplines during which 1407 medals will be awarded across 469 events. This marks the third time Japan has hosted the Asian Games after the editions staged in Tokyo in 1958 and Hiroshima in 1994.
The official motto for the Games is Imagine One Asia positioning the festival as the continent’s flagship multi-sport event. The Qatar News Agency report detailed that 10200 volunteers will support operations while 5300 accredited media representatives prepare to cover the proceedings for hundreds of millions of fans worldwide. OCA Director General Husain Al-Musallam said As we celebrate one month to go to Aichi-Nagoya 2026 I would like to thank our dear friends in Japan who have prepared the greatest stage for Asia’s athletes. He added These Games will create memories for millions of people not only in Japan but across Asia forging lifelong friendships through sport promoting peace through our diversity and creating a legacy that reaches every corner of our great continent.
The Asian Games trace their origins to 1951 in New Delhi according to Olympic Council of Asia historical records with the first edition drawing 11 countries. The quadrennial event has since grown into the second largest multi-sport gathering after the Olympics reflecting the expansion of athletic programs across the continent. Aichi Prefecture and Nagoya will host the 20th edition leveraging modern infrastructure built on Japan’s prior successes. The 2026 Games come 32 years after Japan’s last hosting in Hiroshima and follow the 2023 edition in Hangzhou China.
A competition schedule released in January 2026 by the organising committee and reported by Olympics.com places athletics among the featured disciplines during the second weekend of competition. The program blends longstanding Olympic sports with regional specialties to engage diverse audiences throughout Asia. Organisers have coordinated extensively to ready venues across the host region for the expected participant numbers. The opening ceremony will take place on September 19 and the closing ceremony is set for October 4.
Participation will involve all 45 National Olympic Committees affiliated with the OCA building on participation levels seen in recent editions. The Qatar News Agency noted the event provides a premier platform for elite competition alongside opportunities for cultural exchange among nations. Japanese authorities have prioritized safety logistics and sustainability measures in final preparations for athletes officials and spectators. These efforts align with the OCA’s stated goals for the Games as conveyed through its leadership statements.
