Key facts
- The 20th Asian Games began in Nagoya, Japan, on September 19, 2026.
- Athletes from 45 nations are participating.
- This is the third time Japan has hosted the Asian Games.
- Competitions will feature 469 gold medals across 43 sports.
- South Korea is competing in 41 sports with 1,051 athletes and officials.
- North Korea is participating with 107 athletes in 14 sports.
The 20th Asian Games commenced in Nagoya, Japan, on September 19, 2026, with a vibrant opening ceremony celebrating the host city's hospitality and the theme of Asian harmony. Thousands of athletes from 45 nations gathered for the continent's largest sporting event, which will run until October 4.
The Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, named after Aichi Prefecture and its capital Nagoya, marks Japan's third time hosting the event, following Tokyo in 1958 and Hiroshima in 1994. While Nagoya is the primary host, some sports, including all swimming races, will take place in Tokyo, and football matches are scheduled for Osaka and Shizuoka.
Under the slogan "Imagine One Asia," athletes will compete for 469 gold medals across 43 sports and 71 disciplines. The opening ceremony, directed by filmmaker Yukihiko Tsutsumi, was themed "Harmonic Heart Beat," symbolizing the connections built among athletes from across the continent. The ceremony emphasized Nagoya and Aichi's spirit of warm hospitality.
Athletes marched into the stadium alphabetically by country. South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea, was the 16th nation to enter. The Korean Sport & Olympic Committee stated that South Korea is competing in 41 of the 43 sports, excluding cricket and padel, with a delegation of 1,051 athletes and officials. Table tennis star Shin Yu-bin and veteran rower Kim Dong-yong served as co-flag bearers for South Korea.
South Korea is targeting approximately 45 gold medals, aiming to narrow the gap with Japan, which finished second with 52 gold medals at the 2023 Asian Games, 10 more than South Korea. China is expected to dominate the medal standings once again.
North Korea is also participating in its first Asian Games held on Japanese soil, sending 107 athletes to compete in 14 sports. The country finished 10th in the medal standings at the past two editions, winning 12 gold medals in 2018 and 11 in 2023.