Asian Games 2026 | MMA To Make Debut; Cricket Retains Its Place

Japan : Mixed Martial Arts will make its debut in the Asian Games 2026, which is set to be held in Japan. Cricket will continue to be part of the event after featuring in the 2022 edition in Hangzhoumarking its return to the multi-sport event after a gap of eight years.

The inclusion of both sports in the event was confirmed by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) on Monday, 28 April. The 2026 edition of the Asian Games is set to be held in Nagoya and the wider Aichi Prefecture. Around 15,000 athletes will take part in the event, which is scheduled from 19 September to 4 October.

MMA is a full-contact combat sport which includes combines techniques from various martial arts disciplines such as boxing, wrestling, jiu-jitsu, and karate. The sport was also part of the African Games in 2023. The MMA leaders had also proposed the inclusion of the sport in the 2028 Olympics, but the International Olympic Committee did not approve it for the Los Angeles edition.

According to AFP, MMA will be hosted in the form of a total of six events in the 2026 Asian Games

"MMA will feature six events in its Asian Games debut and will be classed as a discipline under combat sports," the OCA stated, as quoted by the news agency AFP.

Cricket will return to the games after being played in the 2022 edition. The sport has been added to the Olympics for the 2028 edition as well. OCA is yet to finalise the exact venue for cricket.

India clinched gold in both the men's and women’s competitions in the previous edition held in Hangzhou, China, and they will aim to defend their title this time around.