Nearly 20,000 athletes compete

Just shy of 20,000 athletes are competing for 469 medals across 43 disciplines in Nagoya, Aichi and Japan at large. For context, around 10,000 athletes participated at Paris 2024.

Games run September 19 to October 4

Asian Games 2026 takes place from Saturday, September 19 to Sunday, October 4. The opening ceremony is Saturday, September 19 at ten am BST.

Alexandra Eala leads tennis draw

Tennis star Alexandra Eala is competing in at least the women's singles at the 2026 Asian Games. The 21-year-old reached the third round of US Open 2026.

Pan Zhanle and other stars compete

100m freestyle world record holder Pan Zhanle, javelin supremo Rumesh Pathirage, and tennis superstar Alexandra Eala are among headline acts at this colossal multi-sport event with world and Olympic champions.

Pathirage faces spear damage issue

Sri Lankan world number one javelin thrower Rumesh Pathirage must contend with his spears being damaged in transit to the Asian Games 2026.

Kim Ye-ji not competing

Viral South Korean shooter Kim Ye-ji is not competing at Asian Games 2026, while tennis star Qinwen Zheng has opted to play in the China Open instead.

Star gymnasts and badminton players

Gymnasts Zhang Boheng, Carlos Yulo and Zou Jingyuan, badminton stars An Se-young, PV Sindhu and Yamaguchi Akane, and diver Quan Hongchan are set to compete at the games.

Indian cricket teams competing

The Indian men's and women's cricket teams are set to compete at Asian Games 2026, with the women's final scheduled for Tuesday, September 22 at six am BST.

Unique sports on the program

Along with traditional events, Asian Games 2026 includes eSports, kabaddi and sepaktakraw on the program, offering a diverse range of competitions across multiple disciplines.

Day 12 features 23 gold medals

A whopping 23 gold medals are on the line on Day 12, Thursday, October 1, across archery, canoeing, eSports, track cycling, jiu jitsu, shooting, judo, climbing and wrestling.

“A whopping 23 gold medals are on the line on Day 12”

Free streams in multiple countries

Asian Games 2026 is being shown on free-to-air MeWatch in Singapore, KBS, MBC and SBS in South Korea, VTV in Vietnam, CCTV5 in China, and RTM in Malaysia.

US coverage via Willow TV

In the US, Willow TV has done a late deal to show over 700 hours of Asian Games 2026. Cricket is the main factor, but plenty of other sports will also be on Willow TV.

Willow launches three pop-up channels

Willow TV will launch three temporary pop-up channels for the event: Asian Games 1, 2, and 3, providing dedicated coverage of the multi-sport competition.

Sling TV offers Willow access

If you don't have Willow TV as part of your cable package, you can watch Willow coverage through Sling TV's Desi Binge Plus or Dakshin Flex plans, starting from ten dollars per month.

Canada gets same Willow coverage

In Canada, Willow TV is also available and will be showing Asian Games 2026, with the same vibe as the US, available on cable or via OTT streamers like Sling from ten dollars per month.

India streams via Sony LIV

In India, the 2026 Asian Games are being shown on the Sony Sports Network, with live streaming available via Sony LIV. Sony LIV subscription plans start at 599 rupees per year for mobile-only.

UK and Australia have no broadcaster

The 2026 Asian Games haven't picked up a broadcasting partner in the UK or Australia, leaving viewers in those countries without official coverage options.

VPN unlocks regional streams abroad

If you're from Singapore, South Korea, Vietnam, China or Malaysia but abroad for work or vacation, a VPN will help you tune in to Aichi-Nagoya. NordVPN is recommended, offering up to 75 percent off.