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4mo ago

Asian Games 2026 to Feature MMA Debut and Retain Cricket

The Olympic Council of Asia confirms MMA's six-event debut and cricket's inclusion, with preparations underway for the Nagoya-Aichi Games.

Asian Games - Hangzhou 2022 - Karate - Linping Sports Centre Gymnasium KTE, Hangzhou, China - October 8, 2023 Chinese Taipei's Gu Shiau Shuang in action with Kazakhstan's Moldir Zhangbyrbay during the Women's Kumite - 50kg Gold Medal Contest REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon/File Photo
MMA to make its Asian Games debut in 2026 in Japan, cricket retains place
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Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) will make its debut at the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan said the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA). (Reuters)

Overview

  • Mixed martial arts (MMA) will debut as a six-event discipline under combat sports at the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan.
  • Cricket, which returned to the Asian Games in 2023, will remain on the programme, with venues in Aichi Prefecture yet to be finalized.
  • The Olympic Council of Asia formally approved the inclusion of MMA and cricket on April 28, 2025, for the Games scheduled from September 19 to October 4, 2026.
  • India's fragmented MMA governance raises concerns over athlete eligibility, with multiple federations vying for recognition by the Indian Olympic Association.
  • The inclusion of MMA and cricket aligns with broader Olympic trends, as T20 cricket is set to feature in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.