The Asian Games 2026 will feature 41 sports, including esports, across the heart of Japan. From the speed of track and field to the precision of martial arts, the Games will captivate the world with their spirit of athleticism and culture.

Cricket and mixed martial arts have been added to the program for the Asian Games to be co-hosted by Aichi prefecture and its capital Nagoya. AINAGOC, the organizing committee for the Asian Games, made the decision on Monday at its board meeting in Nagoya. The MMA debut will be classed as part of the Combat Sports discipline, alongside kurash and jujitsu. Whether a full-strength team will be sent for the cricket has yet to be decided, but interest is expected to be high with the sport’s inclusion at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

Aichi-Nagoya is also hoping to boost attendance at the Asian Games, following a largely closed off and solitary experience for fans at the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games due to the pandemic in 2021. Yagi believes the Games can attract global attention to the region and build interest among fans of Japanese sports.

The Sports Ministry has set tough new selection criteria for the Games, stating that only athletes with a “real chance” of winning medals will be considered by their national federations. The ministry says that for team sports, top-two finishes at championships recognized by the international federation will be needed; for individual events, only those who finish in the top six in their respective Asian rankings will be eligible to compete.