UAE Olympic Committee reviews final preparations for 2026 Asian Games

The UAE Olympic Committee held a joint coordination meeting with representatives of sports federations at its headquarters in Dubai on Tuesday morning to review the latest preparations and arrangements for the UAE’s participation in the 20th Asian Games, to be held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from September 19 to October 4, 2026.

The meeting reviewed various aspects of the UAE’s participation in the Games, including the administrative, technical and organisational arrangements for the participating national teams and athletes, as well as coordination on the requirements and procedures to be completed during the coming period to ensure the readiness of the UAE delegation for the continental event.

Ahmed Al Tayeb, Director of the Technical and Sports Affairs Department at the UAE Olympic Committee, presented key details of the Games, which will bring together more than 11,000 athletes and 6,000 coaches and officials representing 45 countries over 16 days of competition. He noted that the Games will feature 43 sports and 71 disciplines, with 1,407 medals to be awarded across 469 events.

Representatives of the sports federations were also briefed on departure and arrival plans, as well as preparations for the opening ceremony, which will last approximately two hours and feature a range of performances and activities. The ceremony will be held at Mizuho Park Stadium in Nagoya, one of Japan’s prominent sports venues.

The meeting also addressed arrangements for participation in the welcome ceremony for delegations and teams ahead of the start of the Games, in line with the traditions observed at continental and Olympic sporting events.

Attendees were briefed on accommodation arrangements at the Athletes’ Village, flight and transport schedules, and the transportation plan to competition and training venues, in addition to the medical and health services to be provided to the participating UAE sports delegation.

The meeting further reviewed the competition schedule, delegation data management and registration mechanisms, field operations management, and a detailed map of the stadiums and venues that will host the various competitions.

The meeting also covered the competition programme for each sport, including football, where the UAE national team has been drawn in Group B alongside China, North Korea and Iran, as well as rugby sevens, where the UAE team will face Sri Lanka, Singapore and the Philippines.