The Asian Games 2026 will take place in Aichi (Nagoya), Japan, from September 19 to October 4. Approximately 15,000 athletes and officials will participate in this major sporting event.
Among the participants will be young athletes, including Indian cricketer Vaivava Suryavanshi, who is under 15 years old. For instance, Chinese swimmer Yu Jidi, who is only 13 years old, will take part in the games. She has gained recognition at a very young age, having previously set an Asian record in the women's individual medley on the 200-meter distance last year.
Yu Jidi will be part of China's strong team at the Asian Games in Nagoya. China demonstrated impressive performance at the Hangzhou Asian Games in 2023, winning a record 201 gold medals, which is almost four times more than Japan's 51 gold medals. This time, China is a strong contender for the lead in the medal table.
Indian cricketer Vaivava Suryavanshi will also be in the spotlight at the Asian Games. 15-year-old Vaivava recently debuted in international cricket and became the youngest cricketer to play for India in T20 International.
The Indian men's cricket team is considered a likely gold medalist at the Asian Games, as they are the reigning champions. Furthermore, a potential match between India and Pakistan in the final could add excitement to the competition. Cricket matches will be held at a new cricket ground built in Japan.
Attention will also be drawn to Filipino tennis player Alejandra Ili. Although she is 21 years old, she has achieved significant success in international tennis at a young age. At the beginning of this month, she became the first Filipina to win a WTA title by winning the Open tournament in Washington. This success generated huge interest in tennis in her country, attracting many young people to the sport.
According to AFP, accommodation conditions for the 15,000 participants of the Asian Games are organized diversely. To reduce costs, organizers used temporary housing instead of traditional hotels. Approximately 4,000–5,000 athletes will stay on the cruise ship Costa Serena from Italy, which has 571 cabins, seven pools, eight restaurants, and nine bars.
Organizers hope that the plans for athlete accommodation on the cruise ship will not be affected despite the typhoon season in Japan in September-October. About 2,000 athletes and officials will live in temporary housing resembling shipping containers, which were built in the Garden Pier area of Nagoya. The remaining athletes and staff are accommodated in hotels. Since some competitions, such as swimming, diving, and equestrian sports, will take place in Tokyo, accommodation is also provided in hotels for those related to them.
According to Kazuhiro Yagi, Deputy Secretary General of the organizing committee, the athletes' living quarters serve not only for rest but also for interacting with teammates. He noted that preparations are in the final stages, and the goal is for athletes to be comfortable and perform their best.
In addition to traditional sports, new disciplines will appear at the Asian Games. Besides athletics, swimming, and football, the program will include sports such as kabaddi, sepak takraw, and wushu. The 20th Asian Games included new events such as mixed martial arts, padel, tekvball, and virtual tai chi. Additionally, esports will return. Its successful start at the Hangzhou Asian Games gave hope to the Nagoya organizers that esports can attract older people to the games to maintain their mental activity.
This will be the first time the Asian Games are held in Japan since 1994, which generates particular enthusiasm in Nagoya. Organizers note that public excitement is growing as the opening day approaches. At these games, while India aims for gold in cricket, the world's attention will be focused on young talents such as Vaivava Suryavanshi and 13-year-old Yu Jidi from China.