Bigger than Paris Olympics: Asian Games 2026 kicks off with 11,000 athletes, 43 sports and some very different games

Highlights from the opening ceremony of the 2026 Asian Games. (Photo by Reuters) The Asian Games officially get under way on Saturday in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, and the numbers alone tell part of the story: it’s a sporting event bigger than the Paris Olympics in terms of athlete participation, while offering a program that’s vastly different from the world’s biggest multi-sport spectacle.More than 11,000 athletes are expected to participate in the 20th Asian Games, compared to around 10,700 for the 2024 Paris Olympics.This does not make the Asian Games greater than the Olympics in terms of prestige or global reach. But by the sheer number of athletes who will participate, this continental gem has once again surpassed the Olympic limits.And the scale is even clearer when the program is considered.A total of 43 sports were featured in Aichi-Nagoya with athletes from 45 countries and regions competing from September 19th to October 4th. The games also feature an OCA refugee team.The official opening took place on Saturday, but some disciplines have already been contested for more than a week. Basketball began on September 10, while football also began well before the ceremony, underscoring one of the biggest differences between the Asian Games and the Olympics: the huge schedule forces several competitions to begin before the curtain formally rises.READ ALSO: How India’s Asian Games medal story has changed over two decades

11,000+ athletes: Bigger than Paris, but not quite Hangzhou

The most striking number in Aichi-Nagoya is the number of athletes.About 10,700 athletes participated in the Paris Olympics. The Asian Games has more than 11,000, so the continental event is bigger in terms of athlete participation.Organizers have not released the final official total of athletes, but said more than 11,000 athletes are registered. That number could eventually approach the scale of the previous Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, where roughly 12,000 athletes competed in 2023.This puts Aichi-Nagoya in an unusual position. The participation of athletes is larger than the Olympics, but at the same time it is a very different event in terms of geography, sports culture and the range of disciplines on offer.45 countries and regions are participating in the Games, from Afghanistan to Yemen, along with the OCA Refugee Team.Japan has the largest delegation with 933 athletes. China is sending 815 athletes. Hong Kong, despite having a population of about 7.5 million, has around 580 athletes.China comes in as the dominant force from the previous edition. In Hangzhou, it won 201 gold medals, followed by Japan with 52 and South Korea with 42. Next was India with 28 gold medals, Uzbekistan with 22 and Taiwan with 19.

Members of India’s contingent walk during the opening ceremony. (AP photo)

43 sports: Olympic favorites meet Asian specialties

The sheer number of sports is another reason why the Asian Games can feel different from the Olympics.There are many well-known Olympic disciplines. Athletics, swimming and football remain central parts of the program along with other established sports.But then there are the sports that give the Asian Games a distinctly regional identity.Kabaddi, for example, is a major Asian team sport combining speed, power and physical contact. Sepaktakraw combines elements of volleyball and soccer, while kurash, an ancient form of wrestling originating from Uzbekistan, adds another traditional discipline to the program.READ ALSO: Five of India’s little-known sports will compete at the 2026 Asian GamesThe organizers also made room for newer and lesser-known events.Teqball, a sport that combines elements of table tennis and soccer, is making its debut at the Asian Games. The program also includes virtual taekwondo, padel and mixed martial arts.Esports is making a comeback after its debut at the Hangzhou Asian Games.This combination is one of the defining features of a continental event. The program can move from athletics and swimming – the sports at the heart of the Olympics – to kabaddi, sepaktakraw, kurash and teqball, all within the same Games.This is also one of the reasons why the schedule is so demanding.Basketball began on September 10, more than a week before Saturday’s opening ceremony. The men’s basketball semifinals were played on Friday, a day before the games were officially declared open.Football has also been played for several days.The first gold medal of the Games is expected on Sunday, with the triathlon among the events likely to produce the first champion.Swimming will also be one of the early highlights, with China’s 100m freestyle world record holder Pan Zhanle and 13-year-old sensation Yu Zidi among the names attracting attention.

The Italian cruise ship Costa Serena, which serves as a floating temporary village of athletes. (Photo by Reuters)

A very different village of athletes

The scope of the Asian Games is not limited to the competition program.A total of 17,000 athletes and officials are housed throughout Japan. However, unlike the Olympics, Aichi-Nagoya does not have a traditional athlete village.Instead, accommodation was spread across hotels, converted wooden shipping containers and a cruise ship.The Costa Serena, an Italian cruise ship, functions as a floating athletes’ village, accommodating up to 5,000 athletes and officials.The arrangement is part of a wider effort to cut costs after the Tokyo Olympics, on which Japan officially spent $13 billion. A government audit suggested the actual amount may have been double that.But unusual accommodation has also become one of the biggest topics ahead of the games.Athletes and officials complained of cramped rooms, small beds and logistical problems. Some delegations reported leaks in converted wooden accommodation units, while others expressed concerns about traffic and long journeys to training sites.South Korea said the containers at Garden Pier were too cramped for its basketball players. Delegations also complained about registration delays, late buses and athletes being sent to the wrong places.Indian cricket authorities arranged separate hotel accommodation for the men’s team due to tight bed allocation.Problems have added to the scrutiny around the build-up, although the Olympic Council of Asia has labeled them as nascent troubles.

Asian Teqball Games (AP Photo)

A 16-day sports festival with a distinctly Asian identity

The Asian Games will run until October 4 and will bring together more than 11,000 athletes from 43 sports and 45 participating countries and regions.The event is hosted by Nagoya, Japan’s third largest metropolitan area after Tokyo and Osaka. The metropolitan area has about 9.5 million inhabitants and is located about 350 kilometers south of Tokyo.The opening ceremony at Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium provided the official starting point after a build-up marred by organizational problems. Emperor Naruhito formally declared the Games open, dignitaries present included Empress Masako, IOC President Kirsty Coventry and OCA President Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani.The theme of the ceremony was “Harmonic Heart Beat”, with a heart-shaped stage forming the centerpiece.Japanese father and son hammer throw duo Shigenobu Murofushi and Koji Murofushi lit the cauldron together at the end of the torch relay.But the real measurement of games will come over the next 16 days.The Asian Games may not have the same global prestige as the Olympics, but Aichi-Nagoya shows why they remain a sporting giant in their own right.The Asian Games are already bigger in attendance than Paris. They are something completely different in nature.