Asian Para Games 2026 Schedule, Sports List & Venues
Seven days, 18 sports and 19 venues. That’s the scale of the Asian Para Games 2026 schedule in Japan. The Games opened on Sunday, October 18, and they run through Saturday, October 24. Because the action spreads across Aichi Prefecture, fans keep asking where and when to watch.
Here’s the plan for this guide. It lists the dates, every sport on the programme and the venues. It also names a few Indian athletes to watch. Still, session times can change, so the official Games website remains the best source for exact start times. Every fact below is current as of October 21, 2026.
Asian Para Games 2026 Schedule at a Glance
The fifth edition of the Games began on Sunday, October 18, 2026. Competition wraps up on Saturday, October 24. Nagoya is the first Japanese city to host the event, and Aichi Prefecture shares the load. Around 3,000 athletes from 45 delegations are taking part. Their motto, “Imagine One Heart,” appears across the Games.
Key Dates and Facts
- Opening day: Sunday, October 18, 2026
- Final day of competition: Saturday, October 24, 2026
- Host: Aichi Prefecture and Nagoya, Japan
- Edition: the fifth Asian Para Games
- Medal events: roughly 490 across 18 sports (reports list 489 or 492)
Timing follows a long-running tradition. Since 2010, the Asian Para Games have followed each Asian Games in the same host region. This year’s Asian Games ran from September 19 to October 4 in Aichi and Nagoya. That shared base helps explain why many venues are existing facilities. Detailed session timings, though, sit on the official Aichi-Nagoya website. Because plans can shift, it’s smart to check it each morning before you pick a session.
Full Sports List for Aichi-Nagoya 2026
The programme features 18 sports across 19 disciplines. Here’s the new part. All 18 sports belong to the Paralympic Games programme, unlike in earlier editions. That change makes the Games a sharper test of Paralympic form. Para taekwondo, meanwhile, made its debut in Hangzhou in 2022 and stays on the list.
The 18 Sports
- Para archery
- Para athletics
- Para badminton
- Blind football
- Boccia
- Para cycling (track and road)
- Goalball
- Para judo
- Para powerlifting
- Shooting para sport
- Para swimming
- Para table tennis
- Para taekwondo
- Sitting volleyball
- Wheelchair basketball
- Wheelchair fencing
- Wheelchair rugby
- Wheelchair tennis
So, several of these are team sports. Blind football, goalball, sitting volleyball, wheelchair basketball and wheelchair rugby all fit that group. The others are mostly individual or doubles events. India competes in 11 of the 18 sports, so some programmes will pass without an Indian entry.
Some sports have gone missing, too, which matters for India. Chess, rowing and canoe aren’t on the 2026 list. India won medals in all three at Hangzhou 2023, so the loss is real.
Venues Across Aichi and Nagoya
Competition spreads across 19 venues, and many are existing facilities. Several sit outside Nagoya itself. Okazaki, Ichinomiya, Toyohashi, Toyota and Kariya all host events. As a result, fans who travel between sports may need a train or a car. Local organisers have published the full list on the official venues page.
Venues Named by the Organisers
- Nagoya City Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium
- Nagoya City General Gymnasium (Rainbow Hall and Rainbow Pool)
- Nagoya City Tsuruma Park Multipurpose Ground, used for blind football
- Nagoya City Inae Sports Center, used for para fencing
- Aichi Prefectural Shooting Range in Toyota, used for shooting para sport
- Aichi International Arena
- Nagoya City Higashiyama Park Tennis Center
- Sky Hall Toyota and Wing Arena Kariya
- Okazaki Chuo Sogo Park Gymnasium and Multipurpose Square
- Toyohashi Gymnasium and Ichinomiya City Municipal Gymnasium
The shooting range deserves a note. It’s a renovated facility in Toyota, so shooters compete in an updated setting. Meanwhile, the other venues range from big arenas to local gymnasiums. That mix of existing sites spreads the Games across the region.
Why So Many Medal Events?
A quick note explains the big medal count. Para sport groups athletes into classes based on how their impairment affects performance. Codes like T11, F64 or SL3 name those classes. As a result, one sport can hold dozens of medal events. Athletics is the clearest case, because sprints, jumps and throws each split into many classes.
That structure shapes the schedule too. Finals arrive in quick waves, so a single session can decide several medals. Meanwhile, team sports such as wheelchair basketball build toward one gold-medal game. Fans who follow both styles get a full mix of drama. In short, the daily programme rarely feels repetitive.
Where the Games Have Been Held
Nagoya joins a short but growing list of hosts. The first Asian Para Games took place in Guangzhou in 2010. Incheon followed in 2014, and Jakarta hosted in 2018. Then came Hangzhou, where the 2022 edition moved to October 2023 because of COVID-19 cases in China. Each edition has run right after the Asian Games.
That pattern gives the event a steady rhythm. Athletes know the cycle, so they can plan their seasons around it. Meanwhile, host cities can reuse stadiums, transport links and trained staff. Nagoya is the fifth stop on this route, and it’s the first in Japan. For India, it’s also the fifth appearance at the event.
Watching From India: The Time Difference
Japan Standard Time runs three and a half hours ahead of India. A final at 6:00 PM in Nagoya, for instance, starts at 2:30 PM in India. Morning sessions in Japan therefore land in the early morning back home. Because of this, many fans will catch results on the same day rather than live.
Still, plans vary by broadcaster and by sport. Check the official Games website and local listings for streaming details. In addition, the medal table updates through each day, so it’s easy to follow along. Our recap of India’s medal tally, winners and highlights keeps the main numbers in one place.
Para Athletes to Watch From India
India has 168 athletes in Japan. Some of them already hold Paralympic titles. Of course, entries can change, so treat these names as a guide. They come from coverage of India’s squad as of October 21, 2026.
- Sumit Antil: javelin F64, and the leader of India’s para athletics group
- Sheetal Devi: compound archery, with two golds from Hangzhou 2023
- Avani Lekhara: shooting, and already a silver medallist in Aichi-Nagoya
- Pramod Bhagat: men’s singles SL3 in para badminton
- Deepthi Jeevanji: women’s 400m T20 gold medallist
Each name brings a track record. Antil set a javelin F64 world record of 73.29m at Hangzhou 2023. Lekhara won gold there in the same shooting event where she now has silver. Likewise, Jeevanji took the 400m T20 title in Hangzhou, so she’s defending form. Because of these results, their sessions are the ones to circle on the calendar.
Want to know more about these stars? Our guide to Indian para-athletes who won medals at the Asian Para Games covers their careers. In short, India’s team mixes proven champions with fresh talent. That blend makes every session worth checking.
How the Schedule Fits the Wider Calendar
The Games land two years after Paris 2024 and two years before Los Angeles 2028. The Asian Paralympic Committee says that timing lets athletes test their progress at a large event. Because all 18 sports are now Paralympic, the link feels tighter than before. Results here can shape the next Paralympic cycle.
Still, the two events aren’t the same. The Asian Para Games are smaller and regional, while the Paralympics draw the whole world. Our explainer on Asian Para Games vs Paralympics breaks down the gap. Either way, a medal in Nagoya carries real weight for every athlete.
Key Takeaways
- Dates: Sunday, October 18 to Saturday, October 24, 2026.
- Sports: 18 sports and 19 disciplines, all on the Paralympic programme.
- Venues: 19 venues across Nagoya and other Aichi cities.
- India’s squad: 168 athletes in 11 sports.
- Missing sports: Chess, rowing and canoe aren’t on the 2026 list.
FAQs
When do the Asian Para Games 2026 start and end?
They started on Sunday, October 18, 2026, and finish on Saturday, October 24.
Where are the Asian Para Games being held in 2026?
They’re being held in Nagoya and across Aichi Prefecture in Japan.
How many sports are on the programme?
There are 18 sports across 19 disciplines.
How many venues are in use?
Organisers are using 19 venues across the host region.
How many Indian athletes are competing?
India sent 168 athletes, 112 men and 56 women, in 11 sports.
Conclusion
The Asian Para Games 2026 schedule packs 18 sports into seven days across 19 venues. Dates run from October 18 to October 24, and the programme now matches the Paralympic list. For India, 168 athletes are chasing medals in 11 of those sports. The best moments are likely still ahead in the final days.
