Cricket will be included in the 2026 Asian Games.
2025.04.30
The Olympic Council of Asia announced on Tuesday that mixed martial arts (MMA) will make its debut at the Asian Games 2026, while cricket will remain.
The prefectures of Aichi and Nagoya in Japan are set to host the 2026 Asian Games from September 19 to October 4.
“The latest development in the compilation of the sports programme came at the 41st meeting of the AINAGOC Board of Directors at Nagoya City Hall on Monday, April 28, when cricket and Mixed Martial Arts were both formally approved,” according to the OCA.
Cricket will be included in the Asian Games schedule for the fourth time. Aichi will host cricket contests during the 2026 Asian Games, though the precise locations have not yet been determined.
Only three of the 19 previous editions of the continental extravaganza have included the sport, despite its popularity in Asia.
Although the matches were not given international status, cricket had its medal debut at the Asian Games in Guangzhou in 2010 and returned at Incheon in 2014.
In the three Asian Games that have been held thus far, cricket has included distinct competitions for men and women, both of which are played in the T20 format.
At Hangzhou 2023, India took home gold in both the men’s and women’s divisions. Bangladesh took home bronze in both the women’s and men’s competitions, while Afghanistan and Sri Lanka took home silver in both.
After more than a century, cricket is also scheduled to make a comeback to the Olympic fold in 2028 in Los Angeles. The sport had its only appearance at the Summer Games in Paris in 1900, where Great Britain won the gold medal after defeating France in a Test match.
@charith
