Members of Pakistan’s delegation wave the national flag during the opening ceremony of the 2026 Asian Games at Paloma Mizuho Stadium in Nagoya on September 19, 2026.–AFP

NAGOYA: Japan’s Emperor Naruhito officially declared the 20th Asian Games open on Saturday, marking the start of the continent’s biggest multi-sport event.

The opening ceremony was held at a 30,000-capacity stadium in Nagoya, with athletes from 45 countries and territories taking part. However, many seats remained empty as a relatively subdued crowd watched the colourful ceremony.

Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako received a respectful welcome as they took their seats alongside International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry.

The first gold medal of the Games is expected to be awarded on Sunday, with the men’s individual triathlon among the events scheduled to begin the medal competition.

More than 11,000 athletes and around 6,000 officials are taking part in the Games, which feature more than 40 sports. The event will continue until October 4.

Organisational Challenges

The Asian Games have faced several organisational problems in the lead-up to the opening ceremony.

Unlike previous editions, Nagoya 2026 does not have a traditional athletes’ village. To reduce costs, athletes have been accommodated in hotels, temporary container-style facilities and the cruise ship Costa Serena.

Some teams have raised concerns about the temporary accommodation, including complaints about the size of the beds.

There were also reports of athletes being left waiting at the airport after transport arrangements failed.

The organisers have faced further challenges due to heavy rainfall that caused flooding in parts of Nagoya. A typhoon approaching eastern Japan could also affect the Games in the coming days.

In another incident, North Korea’s national anthem was mistakenly played on Friday for South Korea’s men’s hockey team.

Asian Sporting Stars Set to Compete

The Asian Games feature a mix of Olympic sports and popular regional events, including athletics, swimming, sepak takraw and kabaddi.

Esports, breakdancing and BMX cycling are also included, while padel and MMA are making their Asian Games debuts.

Among the high-profile competitors are Philippine tennis star Alexandra Eala, 15-year-old Indian cricketer Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and 13-year-old Chinese swimmer Yu Zidi.

Iranian wushu athlete Zahra Kiani, a two-time Asian Games silver medallist, is also hoping to add another medal to her collection.

“I have been training with movies. I watch videos of Chinese athletes and I try to copy them,” Kiani said.

Taiwanese boxer Lin Yu-ting, who won Olympic gold at Paris 2024, is another major name competing at the Games.

China Target Medal-Topping Performance

China is expected to be among the leading nations at the Games after dominating the medal table at the previous Asian Games in Hangzhou.

China won 201 gold medals and 383 medals overall at the 2023 Games.

India will also have strong ambitions, particularly in cricket. The sport is set to return to the Olympic programme at Los Angeles 2028 after a long absence.

India could potentially face traditional rivals Pakistan in the Asian Games cricket final, depending on the tournament results and weather conditions.

The 20th Asian Games will feature thousands of athletes competing across more than 40 sports, with the competition continuing in Nagoya and Aichi until October 4.