Asian Games 2026 Opening Ceremony: When and Where to Watch Live in India
The 2026 Asian Games will officially begin in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan on Saturday, September 19, when two-time Olympic medalist Manu Bhaker and defending Asian Games champion Tajinderpal Singh Toor will carry the Indian flag at the opening ceremony.
Bhaker and Toor were appointed India’s flag bearers on Friday. Bhaker made history at the 2024 Paris Olympics by becoming the first athlete from independent India to win two medals in a single edition of the Games.
Toor, meanwhile, will lead the Indian contingent alongside Bhaker after winning men’s shot put gold at the Jakarta 2018 Asian Games and Hangzhou 2022. 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 attend the opening ceremony and around 500 Indian athletes will compete in 35 sports at the Asian Games.
India will be looking to better their record performance at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, where they won 107 medals, including 28 gold.
The 20th Asian Games will feature athletes from 45 countries and regions competing in 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 opening ceremony of the 2026 Asian Games?
The opening ceremony of the 2026 Asian Games will take place on Saturday, September 19 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
Time: 18:00 to 20:00 Japan Local Time (JST) which is 14:30 to 16:30 IST.
Where can you watch the 2026 Asian Games 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 opening ceremony of the 2026 Asian Games online?
The opening ceremony of the 2026 Asian Games will be available for live streaming on SonyLIV through its app and website in India.
Who are the Indian flag bearers for the 2026 Asian Games opening ceremony?
Manu Bhaker and Tajinderpal Singh Toor were named India’s flag bearers for the opening ceremony.
Bhaker has won two bronze medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics, while Toor is a two-time winner of the Asian Games in men’s shot put.
How many Indian athletes will compete in the 2026 Asian Games?
About 500 Indian athletes will compete in 35 sports at the Asian Games. Athletics has the largest presence in India, with more than 75 athletes on the team.
The Indian contingent includes leading names like PV Sindhu, Mirabai Chanu, Manu Bhaker, Aman Sehrawat and Lovlina Borgohain.
What was India’s medal haul in 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 golds, while shooting won 22 medals, including seven golds.
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Issued by:
Saurabh Kumar
Published on:
19 Sep 2026 05:00 IST