What is confirmed for Aichi–Nagoya 2026
The 20th Asian Games will run from 19 September to 4 October 2026 across Aichi Prefecture and Nagoya. The current official programme contains 43 sports, 71 disciplines and 469 medal events at 53 competition venues. Those numbers replace older planning totals whenever the official programme changes.
The opening is about six weeks away. Event dates, the sports programme and a large team-sports draw are confirmed; final national rosters, daily athlete start lists and most Southeast Asian broadcast packages are not. This hub separates those stages so a provisional name never becomes a false “confirmed” athlete.
Japan and Southeast Asia time guide
| Official time | Vietnam / Thailand | Philippines / Malaysia |
|---|---|---|
| 09:00 JST | 07:00 ICT | 08:00 PHT/MYT |
| 14:00 JST | 12:00 ICT | 13:00 PHT/MYT |
| 19:00 JST | 17:00 ICT | 18:00 PHT/MYT |
Japan Standard Time is UTC+9. Vietnam and Thailand are two hours behind; the Philippines and Malaysia are one hour behind. The conversion rule is stable, but a local start time should not be published until the official session or match row exists.
The 43-sport programme
The programme mixes Olympic sports such as athletics, swimming, football, basketball, volleyball and badminton with Asian Games disciplines including sepak takraw, kabaddi, wushu and esports. OCA’s June update confirms 43 sports and 469 events. Virtual taekwondo is part of the current programme, another reason not to reuse an older sport count.
For Southeast Asian readers, the strongest search and editorial lanes include football, volleyball, badminton, boxing, athletics, sepak takraw, rugby sevens, cricket, combat sports and esports. Each GEO edition below gives priority to its confirmed team draws and historical baseline rather than duplicating this regional page.
Confirmed Southeast Asian team draws
| Sport | Confirmed SEA involvement | What the draw proves |
|---|---|---|
| Men’s football | Thailand in Group A; Vietnam and Philippines in Group C | Team entry and group opponents |
| Women’s football | Vietnam and Thailand in Group E; Philippines in Group G | Team entry and group opponents |
| Volleyball | Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines and Indonesia across official pools | Pool allocation, not final roster |
| Sepak takraw | Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam and Philippines across several events | Event entry and pool |
| Rugby sevens | Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore and Philippines in confirmed pools | Pool allocation |
Esports: 11 announced medal titles
OCA has announced Competitive Martial Arts, Pokémon Unite, Honor of Kings, League of Legends, PUBG Mobile Asian Games Version, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, Identity V Asian Games Version, Naraka: Bladepoint, Gran Turismo 7, eFootball and Puyo Puyo Champions. The announcement confirms titles, not every national qualifier or player.
That distinction is important for the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam. A popular domestic team or professional player is not automatically an Asian Games representative. National selection must be supported by the relevant NOC, federation or official Games entry data.
Hangzhou 2023 SEA medal baseline
| Team | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thailand | 12 | 14 | 32 | 58 | 8 |
| Malaysia | 6 | 8 | 18 | 32 | 14 |
| Philippines | 4 | 2 | 12 | 18 | 17 |
| Vietnam | 3 | 5 | 19 | 27 | 21 |
This is a historical reference, not a 2026 forecast. Changes in event count, qualification and athlete availability make direct medal projections premature.
What to watch before 19 September
- Final delegation and athlete entry lists.
- Official day-by-day session schedules and venue assignments.
- Late withdrawals and replacements.
- National flag-bearer announcements.
- Official broadcaster and streaming rights for each GEO.
- Esports national selection and tournament brackets.
Continue with local editions
Use the dedicated Vietnam guide, Thailand guide, Philippines guide or Malaysia guide for localized team draws and time rules.
FAQ
When are the 2026 Asian Games?
The Games run from 19 September to 4 October 2026.
Where are the Games being held?
Across Aichi Prefecture and Nagoya in Japan.
How many sports are on the programme?
The current official programme has 43 sports, 71 disciplines and 469 events.
Is esports included?
Yes. OCA has announced 11 esports medal titles.
What is the time difference from Southeast Asia?
Japan is two hours ahead of Vietnam and Thailand and one hour ahead of the Philippines and Malaysia.
Are final national squads confirmed?
Not across the programme. A draw proves a national entry in that team event, not the final athlete roster.
Are broadcasters confirmed?
Not yet for every market. This guide will add only official rights announcements.
Which SEA teams have football draws?
Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines appear in the official football draw.
Is Mobile Legends included?
Yes, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang is one of the 11 announced esports titles.
Where will results be verified?
From the official Games site and OCA competition sources.
Official sources
- Aichi-Nagoya 2026 official site
- Official sports and competition programme
- OCA team-sports draw, 23 July 2026
- OCA programme update
- OCA esports titles announcement
- OCA Hangzhou 2023 medal table
Last verified 7 August 2026. Schedule, roster and broadcast fields change only after primary-source confirmation.
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Douglas Smith · Owner & editor
