Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games Guide: Schedule, Sports, Tickets, Live Streams & Venues

The Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games are almost here — and if you love sport, Japan is about to become the place to watch.

From 19 September to 4 October 2026, athletes from across Asia will compete in 43 sports, with everything from athletics, swimming, badminton and table tennis to football, basketball, martial arts and esports on the programme. The Games will use 53 competition venues, stretching well beyond central Nagoya into Toyota, Tokoname, Toyohashi, Okazaki and other locations, as well as selected venues outside Aichi Prefecture .

For fans watching from the UK, there is another reason to get excited: Japan is eight hours ahead of the UK during the Games, so many Japanese afternoon and evening sessions fall into manageable UK daytime hours.

This is my Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games Ultimate Guide, covering the dates, schedule, sports programme, tickets, live streaming, broadcasters, venues, time zones, esports and practical tips for watching from the UK or travelling to Japan.

📊 Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games at a Glance

1. 📅 When Are the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games?

The 20th Asian Games will officially take place from:

📅 Saturday, 19 September – Sunday, 4 October 2026

That is the main Games period following the Opening Ceremony.

However, one important point is easily missed when looking at the headline dates: some preliminary competitions begin long before opening day.

The organising committee has revised the competition programme several times in 2026. So, if you're following a particular team or sport, don't simply mark 19 September on your calendar and assume that's when everything starts.

📌 Key Dates

For the most accurate sport-by-sport dates, use the official daily and session schedules rather than older third-party calendars.

2. 📍 Where Are the 2026 Asian Games Being Held?

The name can be slightly misleading.

Although these are the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, this isn't a single-city sporting event.

The official venue plan currently contains 53 competition venues, with competitions spread across Aichi and several locations outside the prefecture. Cricket will take place in Tochigi Prefecture, while aquatics and equestrian events are hosted in venues in Tokyo and Hamamatsu .

That means a trip to the Asian Games requires more planning than simply booking a hotel in central Nagoya.

You could watch:

• 🏃 Athletics in Nagoya

• 🏓 Table Tennis in Toyota

• 🎮 Esports in Tokoname

• ⚽ Football in Toyota, Nagoya and other cities

• 🏸 Badminton in Ichinomiya

• 🏄 Surfing in Tahara

• 🚴 Cycling at venues including Nagoya and Izu

• 🏊 Aquatics split between Nagoya, Tokyo and Hamamatsu

• 🐎 Equestrian events held in Tokyo

Yes — Tokyo is even included in the current competition-venue plan for aquatics and equestrian sports .

That's worth knowing before booking your flights and hotel.

3. 🥇 What Sports Are at Aichi-Nagoya 2026?

The official programme currently features 43 sports .

Here is the full list:

Aquatics • Archery • Athletics • Badminton • Baseball & Softball • Basketball • Boxing • Breaking • Canoe/Kayak • Cricket • Cycling • Equestrian • Esports • Fencing • Football • Golf • Gymnastics • Handball • Hockey • Judo • Ju-Jitsu • Kabaddi • Karate • Kurash • Modern Pentathlon • Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) • Padel • Rowing • Rugby • Sailing • Sepaktakraw • Shooting • Skateboarding • Sport Climbing • Squash • Surfing • Table Tennis • Taekwondo • Teqball • Triathlon • Virtual Taekwondo • Volleyball • Weightlifting • Wrestling • Wushu

Note: Padel, Teqball and Virtual Taekwondo were added late in the planning cycle .

The official competition page provides the current sports and discipline breakdown.

4. 🔥 Which Aichi-Nagoya Sports Should You Watch?

Let's be honest: 43 sports is a lot.

Even the most dedicated sports fan isn't going to watch everything.

If you're building your own Asian Games watchlist, I'd divide the programme into four groups.

🥇 Traditional Asian Games Favourites

Table Tennis • Badminton • Swimming • Diving • Athletics • Gymnastics • Archery • Shooting • Weightlifting • Wushu • Judo • Taekwondo • Wrestling

⚽ Big Team Sports

Football • Basketball • Volleyball • Rugby Sevens • Hockey • Handball • Cricket • Baseball & Softball

🆕 Younger-Generation Sports

Esports • Breaking • Skateboarding • Sport Climbing • Padel • Teqball • Surfing • Virtual Taekwondo

🇬🇧 My Picks for UK Viewers

If you're watching from Britain, I'd particularly keep an eye on:
Athletics + Swimming + Badminton + Table Tennis + Football + Esports.

That's a pretty good mixture of global stars, Asian sporting powerhouses and newer events.

5. 🕐 Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Time Zones: Japan vs UK, US, China & More

This is one of the most useful things to understand before the Games begin.

Japan operates on:
JST — Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)

There is no daylight-saving-time change in Japan.

The UK, meanwhile, will still be on:
BST — British Summer Time (UTC+1) during most of the Games.

Therefore:
🇯🇵 Japan is 8 hours ahead of the UK.

Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Time-Zone Table

Quick UK Conversion

So if a major final starts at 20:00 JST, that's 12:00 BST.

Not bad at all. For UK fans, Nagoya 2026 should be considerably easier to follow live than many major sporting events hosted in North America.

6. 🏓 Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Table Tennis

If I had to pick one sport that Asian sports fans absolutely shouldn't overlook, it would be:

🏓 Table Tennis

Table tennis is scheduled at:
SKY HALL TOYOTA 

The table tennis programme is expected to include:

• Men's Team

• Women's Team

• Men's Singles

• Women's Singles

• Men's Doubles

• Women's Doubles

• Mixed Doubles

For fans following China, Japan, South Korea, Chinese Taipei, India and other major table-tennis nations, this could be one of the most competitive medal programmes of the Games.

My advice? If you're buying tickets, prioritise:
Team finals → Singles finals → Mixed Doubles final.

7. 🎮 Esports at Aichi-Nagoya 2026

And now we get to the part that will have a lot of younger fans paying attention.

🎮 Esports is a medal sport again.

The Aichi-Nagoya Games will feature:
11 esports events across 13 game titles 

The competition runs for 10 days, from 23 September to 2 October, with the main esports venue at Aichi Sky Expo, Exhibition Hall D.

That's a substantial esports programme — not a small side event.

🎮 Esports Titles

The official programme includes :

• League of Legends

• Honor of Kings

• PUBG Mobile

• Mobile Legends: Bang Bang

• Naraka: Bladepoint

• Identity V

• Pokémon UNITE

• eFootball

• Gran Turismo 7

• Puyo Puyo Champions

• Fighting Game Team Event

The fighting-game event brings together:

• Street Fighter 6

• TEKKEN 8

• The King of Fighters XV

Important note for followers of Chinese esports: China will not field a roster for League of Legends at these Asian Games.

8. 📅 Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Esports Schedule

The Japan Esports Association (JESU) has published the complete esports schedule .

The detailed session schedule is given in Japanese local time, so remember the eight-hour UK difference.

For example, a session beginning at 12:00 JST begins at 04:00 BST.

👉 JESU official Aichi-Nagoya 2026 esports information

9. 📺 Where to Watch Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games Live

Now we get to the question most readers will be asking:

Where can I actually watch the Asian Games?

The answer depends heavily on your country. There isn't one universal TV channel that carries every event worldwide.

10. 🌐 Asian Games Hub: The Official Digital Streaming Option

The Asian Games Hub is one of the most important platforms for international viewers .

The Olympic Council of Asia describes it as the official digital broadcast and media hub for OCA-governed multi-sport events.

Most importantly, OCA says the platform is designed to offer free direct-to-consumer streaming, including live competitions, replays, news and sports content to audiences across Asia and worldwide .

That makes it one of the first places I'd check if you're trying to watch an event online without a traditional TV subscription.

👉 Asian Games Hub official platform

⚠️ One important warning: "Free" does not automatically mean every event is available in every territory. Sports-media rights can be divided between regional broadcasters, so availability may depend on your location and the rights arrangement for a particular competition. Always check the platform from your own country before assuming a specific event will be available.

11. 🇯🇵 Japan: TBS

For Japanese viewers, there is a confirmed domestic broadcaster:

🇯🇵 TBS 

TBS has announced live coverage of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games from 19 September to 4 October 2026 .

The network's dedicated Asian Games website also features:

• Competition information

• Athlete information

• Viewing guides

• Asian Games news

• Live coverage information

👉 TBS Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games website 

For anyone actually in Japan during the Games, TBS should be one of the key places to follow the action.

12. 🇮🇳 India: Sony Sports Network & Sony LIV

Indian fans have another confirmed option.

Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI) has secured the media rights for the 2026 Asian Games in India and the Indian subcontinent.

Coverage is scheduled across:

• Sony Sports Network

• Sony LIV

That should make Sony LIV particularly important for Indian viewers who want to watch events online rather than through traditional television.

13. 🇬🇧 UK: Where Can You Watch the Asian Games?

This is where I would be cautious.

For UK readers, I would not assume that BBC, TNT Sports, Sky Sports or Eurosport automatically has Aichi-Nagoya 2026 rights.

At the time of this update, the official sources reviewed for this guide do not provide a confirmed UK-wide broadcaster announcement comparable with the TBS arrangement in Japan or Sony's deal in India. No dedicated free linear UK broadcast has been confirmed to date.

Therefore, UK viewers should check:

1. Asian Games Hub — This is the first digital platform I'd check .

2. Official Aichi-Nagoya 2026 updates — The organising committee may publish additional broadcast information as the Games approach.

3. UK sports broadcasters — Check current listings for BBC Sport, BBC iPlayer, TNT Sports, discovery+, Eurosport, and Sky Sports. But don't treat a listing on a third-party website as proof of UK rights until the broadcaster itself confirms it.

14. 🆓 Can You Watch Aichi-Nagoya 2026 for Free?

Potentially, yes.

The OCA's Asian Games Hub is specifically designed to provide free direct-to-consumer live and on-demand content .

For UK viewers, this could become the most interesting option if particular events are not picked up by a traditional broadcaster.

My recommended strategy is:

1. 🆓 First choice: Official free stream (Asian Games Hub)

2. 📺 Second choice: Your local broadcaster

3. 💳 Third choice: Paid sports streaming service

⚠️ And one very important piece of advice: Avoid unofficial "free HD Asian Games streams". Major events attract plenty of fake streaming sites, misleading adverts and suspicious download buttons. If a stream claims to be free but asks you to install a browser extension or unfamiliar player, close it.

15. 🎟️ Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Tickets

Want to be there rather than watch from the sofa?

Ticket sales are already underway.

The organising committee began general ticket sales on:
30 June 2026 at 5:00 p.m. JST 

The general sales period is open to eligible buyers including overseas customers, and tickets are sold according to individual competition sessions.

Tickets are non-transferable and subject to identity verification; international purchasers may also face additional currency conversion and transaction fees .

👉 Official Aichi-Nagoya 2026 ticket information

🎟️ Don't wait until the last minute

Popular sessions — especially finals and major team events — are naturally the ones I'd expect fans to target first.

Before purchasing, check:

• Sport

• Date

• Session

• Venue

• Seating category

• Transportation

• Whether you have enough time to reach your next event

That last point is especially important in Aichi-Nagoya.

16. 💰 How Much Do Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Tickets Cost?

There isn't one universal Games ticket price.

Prices depend on:

• Sport

• Session

• Venue

• Seating category

• Preliminary rounds vs finals

Some lower-demand sessions can be relatively affordable, while premium seats for major finals can cost substantially more. General tickets cost between ¥1,500 and ¥30,000 per event, with opening and closing ceremonies ranging from ¥5,000 to ¥60,000 .

The official ticketing system is therefore much more useful than a single "average ticket price" quoted on a travel blog.

17. 🥇 Which Asian Games Tickets Should You Buy?

If I were planning my own trip, here's how I'd prioritise.

1. 🥇 Table tennis finals — Perfect for Asian sports fans.

2. 🥈 Athletics — One of the classic multi-sport-event experiences.

3. 🥉 Swimming — Great atmosphere and plenty of medals.

4. 🎮 Esports — A very different Asian Games experience.

5. ⚽ Football — Ideal for fans who prefer team sports.

6. 🏸 Badminton — Especially attractive if you're following the Asian powerhouses.

18. 🏟️ Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Competition Venues

The current official venue programme includes 53 competition venues .

Here are some of the most important ones :

The official list should be used as the definitive reference because venue allocations have changed during the preparation of the Games.

19. 🎮 Aichi Sky Expo: The Esports Venue

For esports fans, remember:

🎮 Aichi Sky Expo

The main esports competition venue is:
Exhibition Hall D

Aichi Sky Expo is located next to Chubu Centrair International Airport, which is particularly convenient for international visitors. The official competition programme also lists Aichi Sky Expo for fencing and skateboarding .

If you're travelling specifically for esports, this is one venue where accommodation near the airport or Tokoname can make a lot of sense.

20. 🚆 How to Get Around the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games

Here's my number-one travel tip:

🚆 Think of Aichi-Nagoya as a regional Games, not a single-city Games.

Nagoya is an excellent base, but not every competition will be nearby.

You'll potentially be travelling between:
Nagoya • Toyota • Okazaki • Ichinomiya • Kasugai • Toyohashi • Tokoname • Tahara • Gamagori • Kariya • Komaki • Hekinan

Japan's public transport network makes this manageable, but you need to plan around your actual venue.

21. 🚄 Getting to Aichi Sky Expo

This is one of the easier venues for international visitors.

Aichi Sky Expo is adjacent to Chubu Centrair International Airport.

A typical journey from central Nagoya involves:
Nagoya Station → Meitetsu Airport Line → Central Japan International Airport Station

Then it's a short walk towards the exhibition centre.

Best accommodation strategy for esports fans

If you are attending several consecutive esports sessions, consider:

• Central Japan International Airport area

• Tokoname

• Nagoya Station

...rather than automatically staying in central Nagoya.

22. 🚗 Getting to SKY HALL TOYOTA

Table tennis fans should pay particular attention to this one.

SKY HALL TOYOTA is in Toyota City, not central Nagoya.

If you're staying around Nagoya Station, allow plenty of time for the journey.

And here's another sports-fan rule:
Never schedule a Toyota morning session and a distant Nagoya/Aichi evening session with no buffer.

Crowds, security checks and walking between stations and venues can easily eat into your timetable.

23. 🏨 Where Should International Visitors Stay?

There are three obvious bases.

🏨 Nagoya Station — Best All-Round Option

I'd choose this for most first-time visitors.

Advantages:

• Excellent transport connections

• Plenty of hotels

• Restaurants

• Shopping

• Easy access to Aichi's wider rail network

🏨 Sakae — Best for Food and Nightlife

Sakae is a better choice if you want to mix sport with restaurants, bars and sightseeing.

🏨 Tokoname / Centrair — Best for Esports

If esports is the main reason you're visiting, staying near the airport can save a lot of travel time.

24. 📋 How to Plan a Multi-Sport Day

This is where many first-time major-event visitors get caught out.

Imagine your itinerary says:
10:00 — Table tennis • 14:00 — Swimming • 18:00 — Esports

It looks fantastic on paper. But if those venues are spread across Aichi, it can become stressful very quickly.

My preferred rule:

Maximum two major sessions per day if the venues are far apart.

And leave time for:

• Train journeys

• Walking

• Security

• Ticket checks

• Queues

• Food

• Finding your seat

You are going to Japan to enjoy the Games, not spend the entire day staring at a railway timetable.

25. 🇬🇧 Aichi-Nagoya 2026 for UK Sports Fans

For British readers, the time difference is actually one of the more attractive aspects of the Games.

Japan is 8 hours ahead of Britain.

So a Japanese evening session can be a UK lunchtime or early afternoon event.

For example:

That makes it possible to watch plenty of major events during the working day or early afternoon — although some early-morning Japanese sessions will obviously require an alarm clock.

26. 🇨🇳 Aichi-Nagoya 2026 for Chinese, Hong Kong & Singapore Viewers

For viewers in China, Hong Kong and Singapore, the time difference is even easier.

These locations use UTC+8, while Japan is UTC+9.

Therefore: Japan is only one hour ahead.

Example:

That's almost perfect for prime-time viewing. For Asian viewers, this could be one of the easiest Asian Games editions to follow live.

27. 🇨🇳 What About China Team Athletes?

China will obviously be one of the biggest medal contenders at Aichi-Nagoya.

Fans will be watching closely across:
Table Tennis • Badminton • Swimming • Diving • Athletics • Gymnastics • Weightlifting • Shooting • Wushu • Basketball • Volleyball • Esports

However, full final athlete rosters can change as selections and qualification processes develop. For that reason, I would avoid treating an early "China team list" circulating online as final unless it comes from the relevant Chinese federation or the official Games entry system. The same rule applies to Japan, South Korea, India and other major Asian teams.

28. ✨ Why Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Could Be Special

For me, the most interesting thing about these Games isn't just the scale.

It's the combination of traditional Asian sports and modern competitive culture.

One day you could be watching:
🥋 Judo

The next:
🏓 Table tennis

Then:
🎮 League of Legends

Then:
🏄 Surfing

And perhaps:
🛹 Skateboarding

That is exactly what makes a multi-sport event fun. The programme isn't simply trying to recreate an old-fashioned sports festival. It is also trying to attract a younger generation.

29. 🔗 Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Official Links

If you're serious about following the Games, bookmark these.

30. ❓ Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games FAQ

When are the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games?
The main Games period is 19 September to 4 October 2026. Preliminary competitions start as early as 10 September.

Where are the Asian Games being held?
The Games are centred on Aichi Prefecture and Nagoya, but competitions are spread across 53 venues, including locations outside Aichi .

How many sports are at Aichi-Nagoya 2026?
The official programme currently contains 43 sports .

Is esports an official Asian Games sport?
Yes. Esports is an official medal sport with 11 events covering 13 titles .

When is esports?
The esports programme runs from 23 September to 2 October 2026 .

Where is esports being held?
The main esports venue is Aichi Sky Expo, Exhibition Hall D.

Where is table tennis being held?
Table tennis is scheduled at SKY HALL TOYOTA .

When did general ticket sales begin?
General ticket sales began on 30 June 2026 at 5:00 p.m. JST, with overseas sales included. Tickets are non-transferable .

Is there a free live stream?
The OCA says its Asian Games Hub provides free direct-to-consumer live streaming and replays, although actual availability can depend on territory and media rights .

Who broadcasts the Games in Japan?
TBS is the Japanese broadcaster and has announced live coverage .

Who broadcasts the Asian Games in India?
Sony Pictures Networks India has secured rights for India and the Indian subcontinent, with coverage on Sony Sports Network and Sony LIV.

What time are the Games in the UK?
Japan is eight hours ahead of the UK during the Games.

What time are the Games in China?
Japan is one hour ahead of China.

31. 🎯 My Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Watchlist

If I were building my own calendar, these would be my priorities.

🥇 Must-Watch

🏓 Table Tennis • 🏊 Swimming • 🏃 Athletics • 🏸 Badminton

🔥 Big Team Events

⚽ Football • 🏀 Basketball • 🏐 Volleyball • 🏉 Rugby Sevens • 🏑 Hockey

🎮 Esports

League of Legends • Honor of Kings • PUBG Mobile • Mobile Legends: Bang Bang • Naraka: Bladepoint • Pokémon UNITE

👀 Sports Worth Discovering

Padel • Breaking • Sport Climbing • Teqball • Surfing • Skateboarding • Kabaddi • Sepaktakraw • Virtual Taekwondo

That's the beauty of an Asian Games: you can go in wanting to watch one sport and come away with three new favourites.

💭 Final Thoughts: Get Ready for Aichi-Nagoya 2026 🇯🇵🥇

The Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games are shaping up to be one of the biggest sporting events of 2026, with 43 sports, 53 venues and a 16-day main Games period .

For traditional sports fans, there is plenty to get excited about: table tennis, badminton, swimming, athletics, football, basketball, gymnastics, diving and martial arts.

For younger audiences, esports gives the Games another dimension, with 11 medal events and 13 game titles packed into a 10-day competition at Aichi Sky Expo .

For UK viewers, the eight-hour Japan–UK time difference is surprisingly manageable. For viewers in China, Hong Kong and Singapore, it's even easier, with Japan only one hour ahead.

And for those travelling to Japan, here's the one piece of advice I'd underline:

Plan your trip around the venues, not just the sports.

Aichi-Nagoya 2026 is a regional Games. Nagoya is your obvious base, but Toyota, Tokoname, Ichinomiya, Toyohashi, Tahara and other locations can all become part of your itinerary.

As for watching from home, start with the Asian Games Hub, check your local broadcaster, and always verify territory-specific rights before relying on a particular stream . The OCA has positioned the Hub as a free digital destination for live and on-demand Asian Games content, while Japan's TBS and India's Sony Sports Network/Sony LIV already have confirmed arrangements .

So, set your reminders:

🏆 19 September – 4 October 2026 • 🇯🇵 Aichi-Nagoya, Japan • 🥇 43 sports • 🏟️ 53 venues • 🎮 11 esports events / 13 titles

The Asian Games are coming back to Japan. Time to start planning your watchlist. 🇯🇵🏆