Nagoya/Japan, September 19 (QNA) - The 20th Asian Games, Aichi-Nagoya 2026, officially opened today at Mizuho Park Stadium in Nagoya, Japan, with the competition running through October 4.
The continental multi-sport event features around 11,000 athletes representing 45 countries and regions, including Olympic and world champions, competing across 43 sports and 71 disciplines. It is the largest multi-sport event on the Asian continent.
The opening ceremony featured a series of artistic and cultural performances highlighting the identity of Aichi and Nagoya and showcasing Japanese culture, while also celebrating the cultural diversity of the Asian continent.
The ceremony also featured the parade of delegations representing the 45 participating National Olympic Committees, including Qatar's delegation, which proudly entered the stadium to mark the official start of the competition.
Qatar athletes Mohammed Saadoun Al Kuwari and Reem Al Sharshani carried the Qatari flag during the ceremony, highlighting Qatar's presence at the major continental sporting event and reflecting the confidence placed in the country's sporting talents, as well as the aspirations and hopes surrounding the Qatari participation.
The Games will run for 16 days and feature 469 events, with athletes from across Asia competing for a total of 1,407 medals in an edition that brings together participants from countries and regions across the continent.
Qatar is represented at Aichi-Nagoya 2026 by a delegation of 427 members, including 243 athletes - 184 men and 59 women - alongside technical and administrative staff, members of the delegation's administrative team and the media delegation.
Qatar's athletes will compete in 26 sports and 32 disciplines through 18 national sports federations, with hopes of achieving strong results and adding to Qatar's record of accomplishments at the Asian Games.
The Qatari delegation will look to maintain its strong presence at the Asian Games and build on the achievements recorded by Qatari athletes at previous editions as a new chapter of competition gets underway in Aichi-Nagoya.
Japan is hosting the Asian Games for the third time in its history. Tokyo previously hosted the 1958 edition, while Hiroshima staged the Games in 1994. (QNA)