The 2026 Asian Games will be co-hosted by the Aichi Prefecture and the city of Nagoya in Japan.

It will mark the third time the Asian Games has been held in Japan, following Tokyo in 1958 and Hiroshima in 1994.

The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) selected Nagoya to host the event at its 2016 General Assembly in Danang in Vietnam. 

The Host City Contract was signed at the 2018 OCA General Assembly in Indonesia's capital Jakarta.

The bid was initially under threat of falling apart after a budget dispute between Aichi Prefecture and its capital Nagoya, but was resolved, allowing it to be accepted.

The 2026 Asian Games are due to be held in the autumn to avoid the scorching summer heat.

They are scheduled to run from September 19 to October 4.

It is hoped this will allow the athletes to give better performances and also attract more spectators.

Venues are expected to include the Mizuho Athletic Stadium, which will be revamped to a capacity of 35,000 in time to host athletics and both the Opening and Closing Ceremonies.

Gymnastics and aquatics should be held at the Nagoya Civic General Gymnasium and adjacent pool.

Baseball will take place at the iconic Nagoya Dome, while the Toyota Stadium will host football matches.

Some 15,000 athletes and officials from 45 countries and regions are expected to participate in the 2026 Asian Games.

About Aichi and Nagoya

Aichi is a densely populated, mixed industrial and agricultural Prefecture.

Its capital Nagoya is Japan's fourth largest city after Tokyo, Yokohama and Osaka.

Nagoya and its surrounding towns and cities have a population of approximately 10 million inhabitants.

Aichi is very urbanised and main cities and towns include Anjo, Chiryu, Chita, Gamagori and Handa.

The nearest international airport serving Aichi is Chubu Centrair International, south of Nagoya off the western coast of Chita.

It is only about 30 minutes away from Nagoya station by rail and from there, traditional tourist destinations such as Mount Fuji are easy to access within just a few hours or less.

Nagoya was one of the host cities for the Women's Volleyball World Championship for its 1998, 2006 and 2010 editions.

The city has also previously staged the Asian Basketball Championship, having done so in 1979.

Aichi has hot, humid summers with temperatures usually topping 30 degrees Centigrade or more in July and August.

Nagoya is known as being one of the hottest places in Japan in mid-summer.