MMA set to make Asian Games debut in 2026; Cricket retained

Mixed Martial Arts or MMA is all set to make its debut at the Asian Games during the 2026 edition in Aichi-Nagoya, the Olympic Council of Asia announced on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, cricket has retained its spot in the Asian Games roster after making a return during the delayed 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou. The 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Games will mark cricket's fourth appearance at the continental games, having previously been played at the 2010 Guangzhou and 2014 Incheon Games.

"The latest development in the compilation of the sports programme came at the 41st meeting of the AINAGOC Board of Directors at Nagoya City Hall on Monday, April 28, when cricket and Mixed Martial Arts were both formally approved," a release from the Olympic Council of Asia read.

MMA will feature a total of six events and will be clubbed under the combat sports list along with Kurash and Ju-jitsu.

The OCA also announced that cricket will be hosted at the Aichi prefecture though the exact location has yet not been finalised. This is a massive boost for cricket, which will also mark a return to the Olympic fold after 128 years at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

India had won both the men's and women's gold medal in cricket at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games.

The Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games will be held from 19 September, 2026 to 4 October, 2026. A total of 15,000 athletes from 41 sports and 45 Asian countries will flock down to the Japanese city for the quadrennial competition.