The 2026 Asian Games are being held from September 10 to October 4, 2026. The event takes place around Aichi Prefecture in Japan. It is officially called the XX Asian Games and is also known as Aichi-Nagoya 2026. It is the third Japanese city to host the Asian Games, after Tokyo in 1958 and Hiroshima in 1994.
The Games return to their normal four-year cycle. The 2022 edition was postponed to 2023 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2026 event also marks the 75th anniversary of the first Asian Games, which were held in New Delhi, India, in 1951.
The 2026 Asian Games will include 469 medal events across 43 sports. That is 12 fewer events than at Hangzhou 2022. Several new sports will make their debut. These include freestyle BMX, mixed martial arts, padel, surfing, teqball, and virtual taekwondo.
Cricket was a major topic ahead of the Games. A final decision on its inclusion was planned for 2025. The Asian Cricket Council pushed for it, and OCA President Randhir Singh was hopeful. Including cricket would also serve as an Asian qualifier for the 2028 Summer Olympics.
India Men’s Cricket 2026 Asian Games Schedule
India’s men’s team has a direct entry into the quarter-finals. Their first match will start at 1:30 pm local time in Japan. That works out to 10 am IST. The morning games will still begin at 9 am local time, which is 5:30 am IST.
Some men’s cricket knockout matches at the 2026 Asian Games will now start 30 minutes earlier than originally planned. The afternoon games will begin at 1:30 pm local time instead of 2 pm. The women’s match times have not changed.
The new timing applies to three key matches. These are the second quarter-final on September 28, which India will play, the second semi-final on October 1, which India are likely to reach, and the gold-medal match on October 3. The first quarter-final involving Pakistan, the first semi-final, and the bronze-medal playoff will still start at 9 am local time.
The preliminary-round matches are not affected. Those involve Afghanistan, Japan, Nepal, Hong Kong China, Malaysia, and Oman. The women’s competition is also unchanged. Their matches begin directly from the quarter-finals and will start at 9 am and 2 pm local time.
Separately, India’s T20I against Japan on September 22 is not part of the 2026 Asian Games schedule. That match will be played at Sano International Stadium. It will start at 1 pm Japan time, which is 9:30 am IST. The 2026 Asian Games run from September 19 to October 4.
| September 28, 2026 | India vs Group A second-placed team | Quarter-final | Korogi Athletic Park |
| October 1, 2026 | Winner of QF1 vs Winner of QF4 | Semi-final | Korogi Athletic Park |
| October 1, 2026 | Winner of QF2 vs Winner of QF3 | Semi-final | Korogi Athletic Park |
| October 3, 2026 | Bronze medal match | Knockout | Korogi Athletic Park |
| October 3, 2026 | Final | Knockout | Korogi Athletic Park |
India Women’s 2026 Asian Games Schedule
India’s women’s cricket team will begin their Asian Games campaign on September 17. They will face tournament hosts Japan in the first quarter-final. That match starts at 5:30 AM IST, which is midnight GMT. Later the same day, Pakistan will take on Thailand in the second quarter-final at 10:30 AM IST, or 5:00 AM GMT.
The knockout path is fairly simple from there. The winner of India vs Japan will meet the winner of the September 18 match between Bangladesh and China. That match starts at 5:30 AM IST. Meanwhile, the winner of Pakistan vs Thailand will face whoever comes through the meeting between Malaysia and Sri Lanka. That quarter-final is also on September 18, starting at 10:30 AM IST.
Both semi-finals are scheduled for September 20. The first semi-final will be between the winners of the first and third quarter-finals. It starts at 5:30 AM IST. The second semi-final will feature the winners of the second and fourth quarter-finals. That match begins at 10:30 AM IST.
The bronze medal match and the gold medal match will both take place on September 22. The bronze medal match starts at 5:30 AM IST, or midnight GMT. The gold medal match will be played at 10:30 AM IST, which is 5:00 AM GMT.
| Date | Match | Match Type | Venue |
| September 18, 2026 | India vs Japan | Knockout | Korogi Athletic Park |
| September 20, 2026 | Winner of No. 2 team vs No. 3 team | Semi-final | Korogi Athletic Park |
| September 20, 2026 | Number 1 team vs Number 4 winner | Semi-final | Korogi Athletic Park |
| September 22, 2026 | Bronze medal match | Knockout | Korogi Athletic Park |
| September 22, 2026 | Final | Knockout | Korogi Athletic Park |
FAQs
Q. When will India’s men’s team play its first 2026 Asian Games match?
A. India will play its quarter-final on September 28, 2026.
Q. Who will India face in the men’s quarter-final?
A. India will face the second-placed team from Group A.
Q. When will India’s women’s team begin its campaign?
A. India’s women will face Japan in the quarter-final.
Q. When are the women’s Asian Games semi-finals?
A. Both semi-finals are scheduled for September 20.
Get the Latest Cricket Updates at IceCric.News. Also, Follow Our Social Media for live updates on Facebook and Instagram.
