The 2026 Asian Games will officially begin in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, on Saturday, September 19, with double Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker and defending Asian Games shot put champion Tajinderpal Singh Toor carrying the Indian flag at the opening ceremony.
Bhaker and Toor were named India’s flag-bearers on Friday. Bhaker made history at the Paris 2024 Olympics by becoming the first athlete from independent India to win two medals at a single edition of the Games.
Toor, meanwhile, will lead the Indian contingent alongside Bhaker after winning gold in men’s shot put at the 2018 Jakarta and 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games. He will arrive in Nagoya from his training base at the University of Tsukuba near Tokyo to attend the ceremony.
A 158-member Indian contingent will participate in the opening ceremony, while around 500 Indian athletes are set to compete across 35 sports at the Asian Games.
India will aim to improve on its record performance at the Hangzhou Asian Games in 2023, where it won 107 medals, including 28 gold.
The 20th edition of the Asian Games will feature athletes from 45 countries and regions competing across 43 sports. Japan is hosting the continental multi-sport event for the third time, after Tokyo in 1958 and Hiroshima in 1994.
Asian Games 2026 opening ceremony: When and where to watch
When is the Asian Games 2026 opening ceremony?
The opening ceremony of the Asian Games 2026 will take place on Saturday, September 19, in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
Time: 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM local time in Japan (JST), which is 2:30 PM to 4:30 PM IST.
Where can you watch the Asian Games 2026 opening ceremony on TV in India?
The opening ceremony will be telecast live in India on Sony Sports 1 and Sony Sports 5.
Regional-language coverage will also be available on Sony Sports 3 in Hindi and Sony Sports 4 in Tamil, Telugu and Kannada.
Where can you watch the Asian Games 2026 opening ceremony online?
The Asian Games 2026 opening ceremony will be available for live streaming on SonyLIV through its app and website in India.
Who are India’s flag-bearers for the Asian Games 2026 opening ceremony?
Manu Bhaker and Tajinderpal Singh Toor have been named India’s flag-bearers for the opening ceremony.
Bhaker won two bronze medals at the Paris 2024 Olympics, while Toor is a two-time Asian Games champion in men’s shot put.
How many Indian athletes will compete at the Asian Games 2026?
Around 500 Indian athletes will compete in 35 sports at the Asian Games. Athletics has the biggest Indian representation, with more than 75 athletes in the team.
India’s contingent includes leading names such as PV Sindhu, Mirabai Chanu, Manu Bhaker, Aman Sehrawat and Lovlina Borgohain.
What was India’s medal tally at the last Asian Games?
India won a record 107 medals, including 28 gold, at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.
Athletics contributed 29 medals to India’s tally, including six gold, while shooting won 22 medals, including seven gold.
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