The Olympic Council of Asia has confirmed the inclusion of cricket and Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) in the 2026 Asian Games, set to take place in Japan’s Aichi and Nagoya prefectures from 19 September to 4 October.
Cricket, played in the T20 format, will be held in Aichi and is expected to draw heightened interest ahead of its return to the Olympics in 2028.
MMA will debut under the Combat Sports category with 6 medal events, alongside kurash and jujitsu.
The 2026 Games will feature 41 sports and welcome around 15,000 participants from 45 countries.
South Asian countries have a strong legacy in Asian Games cricket, with India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan among the past medalists.
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