Cricket and mixed martial arts (MMA) will feature at the 2026 Asian Games in Japan, the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) said on Tuesday, giving both sports a lift ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. MMA will make its debut at the Asian Games, while cricket returns in the T20 format.
The decision was finalised during the 41st meeting of the Asian Games 2026 Organizing Committee (AINAGOC) Board of Directors at Nagoya City Hall on April 28, the OCA said in a statement.
Cricket will feature for the fourth time at the Asian Games, having previously appeared in 2010, 2014, and 2022. The inclusion comes as the sport gains global momentum ahead of its return to the Olympic Games in 2028, marking its first Olympic appearance since 1900.
“The venue for cricket will be in Aichi Prefecture, but the exact location has not been decided,” the OCA said.
In previous Asian Games appearances, cricket produced strong South Asian rivalries. Bangladesh won men’s gold in 2010, Sri Lanka in 2014, and India in 2022, when it fielded several T20 stars including Ruturaj Gaikwad and Yashasvi Jaiswal. Afghanistan earned silver medals in all three editions.
India also won gold in women’s cricket in 2022, while Pakistan topped the women’s podium in both 2010 and 2014.
The 2026 Asian Games will be held in September–October in Japan’s Aichi-Nagoya region.
