The Asian Games is the biggest sporting event in Asia. It is organized by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) and has 45 participating countries or regions. It was first held in 1951, soon after World War II, to reestablish bonds between Asian nations through sports and contribute to world peace. The Games have been hosted by Japan twice in 1958 and 1994, and are scheduled to return to Tokyo in 2028 after having been postponed from 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a bid to cut costs for the upcoming 2026 edition of the Asian Games in Nagoya and Aichi prefectures, organizers have decided to rent out a luxury cruise ship that will serve as the ‘Athletes’ Village’. Nearly one-third of the 15,000 athletes and officials who are expected to attend the Games will stay on the vessel for the duration of their time in Japan, AINAGOC chief and Aichi Governor Hideaki Ohmura explained.

During its 1,500-day countdown, AINAGOC has been engaging with fans and members of the public on social media by asking them to produce inspirational slogans for their ‘thought corner’. In a show of its commitment to hosting the Games, AINAGOC has also released a series of promotional videos featuring the iconic Japanese castles of Aichi Prefecture.

During the 93rd OCA Executive Board meeting held in Harbin earlier this month, a total of 11 esports titles were confirmed for the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Games, four more than at Hangzhou 2023. PUBG and League of Legends will continue to feature, but Dota 2 was dropped in order to balance competitive integrity with broadcasting optimization.