The Asian Games are a continental multi-sport event held every four years among athletes from the Asia region, and are the second largest sports competition in the world after the Olympics. The first edition was held in 1951, following the end of World War II. The idea was proposed by Neru, the Prime Minister of India at the time, with the aim to re-establish friendships among Asian countries through sports and contribute to world peace. The games are run by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA). Currently, all 45 nations affiliated with the OCA are eligible to send competitors to the Asian Games.
The organising committee of the 2026 Asian Games, to be hosted by Aichi Prefecture and the city of Nagoya in Japan, has announced that cricket and mixed martial arts will be added to the program, while open water swimming has been dropped. The organisers are seeking to stage the cricket matches within Aichi Prefecture, and are in talks with municipalities that have cricket facilities such as Sano in Tochigi Prefecture and Takayama in Aichi Prefecture.
The organisers have launched a new website called Imagine One Asia, where they hope to promote the Games and spread the spirit of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games among people from across the globe. The site features a joint promotional video that introduces the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 host cities, as well as 10 of the competition venues. It also includes information on the mascot, Honohon, and other fun facts about the Games.