Particle.news
Download on the App Store
6 ARTICLES
·
14h 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
Image
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.