Where will the Asian Games 2026 be hosted?

The Asian Games 2023 brought some delightful sporting action for enthusiasts across the globe. Now, with the Hangzhou Games done and dusted, all eyes will turn to the Asian Games 2026, which will be the 20th edition of the marquee event.

The Asian Games 2026 will be hosted in Nagoya, Japan. It will be the third time Japan will organize the Asiad.

The 2026 Games is set to feature 39 sports as of now, including all the 32 sports that will be a part of the 2024 Paris Olympics. Surfing will make its debut at the 2026 Asian Games, with more sports likely to be added to the list in the upcoming years.

Japan first hosted the Asiad in 1958 in Tokyo, with the motto of the event being "Ever Onward". The 1958 games saw a total of 20 nations participating in 14 different sports. Japan managed to top the medal tally on home soil, with a total of 138 podium finishes, including 67 golds.

Japan next hosted the Asian Games in 1994 in Hiroshima. This was the 12th edition of the games, with the theme being centered around promoting harmony amongst Asian countries.

The 1994 games featured a total of 337 events across 34 sports, with 42 nations vying for a medal. China finished first in the medal tally with 266 medals, while Japan and South Korea came second and third, respectively.

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India at the Asian Games 2023

India put up a formidable performance at the Asian Games 2023. The country went into the games with a motto of "iss baar, sau par" and what started out as a tagline for commentators became a reality as India clinched a history-making 107 medals.

India's previous best medal haul at the Asian Games was in 2018 Jakarta when the athletes came home with 70 medals.

As always, track and field athletes were the stars of the show with their 29 medals. However, while India won six golds in athletics, Indian shooters outdid their compatriots with seven first-place finishes in their 22 podium appearances.

India also claimed its maiden gold medals in cricket and badminton, while the women's and men's kabaddi teams reclaimed the titles they lost in 2018.

Indian athletes also mined gold across the sports of archery, field hockey, squash, tennis, and equestrian dressage.