Asian Games 2026 Opening Ceremony Highlights: Pawan Sehrawat, Manu Bhaker lead Indian contingent, Games declared open
Manu Bhaker and Pawan Shehrawat led the Indian contingent out in the players' parade as the 2026 Asian Games was declared open in the Opening Ceremony in Aichi-Nagoya.
· The Indian Express · JoinThe 20th Asian Games has been officially declared open in Nagoya. The Indian contingent was led out in the athletes’ parade at the Opening Ceremony by shooter Manu Bhaker and kabaddi captain Pawan Sehrawat. The organisers of the Aichi-Nagoya Games are already on the defensive after a string of operational gaffes and logistical problems in the lead-up to the Games.
India too were forced into making a last-minute change with Sehrawat replacing Tajinderpal Singh Toor as the male flagbearer because the shot putter had not received his official kit which prevented him from attending the gala event in Nagoya.
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The day started for India with a heartbreaking loss for Quimcy D’Souza, who was competing in the semi-finals of the women’s teqball event, where a win would have assured India its first medal. But despite the loss, Quimcy D’Souza will compete for the bronze medal tomorrow.
Scroll down for our highlights of the first day of the Asian Games and the opening ceremony
Live Updates
Sep 19, 2026 05:02 PM IST
Asian Games 2026 Opening Ceremony Live: On to the Games then
Technically the Games have well and truly begun - the women's cricket team and tekker Quimcy Dsouza have already seen their events underway. But, for all means and purposes, the Asian Games begins now. Among Indians, the athletes we will see in action tomorrow are the simmers, the badminton players, MMA fighters, the women's and men's hockey teams, the women's cricket team, the shooters, the table tennis players, tekker Dsouza, athletes competing in wushu, and the men's sepaktakraw team. It's a full basket tomorrow and we will bring you action from everywhere. Join us then, goodbye for today!
Sep 19, 2026 04:34 PM IST
Asian Games 2026 Opening Ceremony Live: The torch relay ends and the flame is lit!
And that, folks, should be that. Japanese hammer throw legends Shigenobyu Murofushi and Koji Murofushi (father and son), do the ceremonial final bit of the torch relay and light up the giant cauldron.
Sep 19, 2026 04:19 PM IST
Asian Games 2026 Opening Ceremony Live: A view from within
How about this for an angle of seeing India's parade.
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Sep 19, 2026 03:47 PM IST
Asian Games 2026 Opening Ceremony Live: The Games have officially been declared open!
After the parade, come the speeches. Olympic Council of Asia president Joaan bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani addressed the crowd and Japan's Emperor Naruhito declared the 2026 Asian Games open. The other dignitaries present for the occassion were Japan's Empress Masako, Prince Akishinoi and Princess Kiko.
Sep 19, 2026 03:34 PM IST
Asian Games 2026 Opening Ceremony Live: The challenges that have marred the days leading up to this...
There have been no mistakes thus far at the opening ceremony today, as far as we know at least. But that has hardly been the case in the days leading up to it. Japan is known for precision and just generally getting things right but this year, at least in the buildup of these games, that reputation has fallen flat on its face. Read more about the troubled build-up to these Games from Mihir Vasavda HERE.
Sep 19, 2026 03:15 PM IST
Asian Games 2026 Opening Ceremony Live: Wishes from Neeraj Chopra!
India's undisputed king in everything track and field is not at the Asian Games this year. He announced the end of his season last month due to an ankle ligament tear. He won gold in 2018 and 2022 but has since missed two Asian Games due to injuries. His great rival from Pakistan Arshad Nadeem is there but he is not the flagbearer. That honour has gone to their cricket captain Fatima Sana and squash player Noor Zaman.
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Sep 19, 2026 03:05 PM IST
Asian Games 2026 Opening Ceremony Live: Manu and Shehrawat lead India out
Here are some pics of the Indian contingent from Mihir Vasavda.
Sep 19, 2026 03:01 PM IST
Asian Games 2026 Opening Ceremony Live: The Indonesian are here
Sania Mirza, on the Sony LIV commentary, is very impressed by the traditional outfits that the Indonesians are flaunting!
Sep 19, 2026 02:58 PM IST
Asian Games 2026 Opening Ceremony Live: And here are the Indians!
Shooter Manu Bhaker and kabaddi star Pawan Shehrawat are the flagbearers, as reported earlier. It was Tajinderpal Singh Toor who was to accompany Manu originally, but the shot putter couldn't be here as he is facing logistical delay in receiving his ceremonial kit.
Hockey legend PR Sreejesh says from the commentary box that he is in particular looking for those hockey players, some of whom shared a dressing room with him as they won two golds and a bronze during his glorious career at this Asian Games. They are not there of course, as usually the case for the Indian men's hockey team as they are playing their first game tomorrow morning. Sreejesh adds that the sad part about being in a team event like hockey means that you don't usually get the chance to participate because you are playing across so many days.
Tennis great Sania Mirza is with him in the English commentary box for Sony LIV. She says that while she has had to miss a few Opening Ceremonies due to having to play a game the next day, she says that the opening ceremony is an "experience of a lifetime". "Every athlete should experience it at least once in their life," says Sania.
Sep 19, 2026 02:56 PM IST
Asian Games 2026 Opening Ceremony Live: Sreejesh and Saina on the opening ceremony
Pritish Raj: Sania Mirza and PR Sreejesh outline the behind the scenes of the Opening Ceremony.
"It's the best moment that an athlete can dream of. Being behind the national flag," said Sreejesh. "While it is just two hours for viewers, our day starts at 6-7 hours earlier. It is a tiring experience but it is an experience of a lifetime," said Sania.
Sep 19, 2026 02:55 PM IST
Asian Games 2026 Opening Ceremony Live: The national contingents walking out
All right we are seeing the contingents walk out and at the moment, its the monster unit from China. Always the outright frontrunners at the Asiad, China have sent a whopping 815 athletes this year, 411 men and 404 women. Just for context, India have just over 500 athletes overall in their contingent.
Sep 19, 2026 02:49 PM IST
Asian Games 2026 Opening Ceremony Live: Update from Mihir Vasavda
Mihir Vasavda, who is The Indian Express’ man on the ground in Japan to cover the Asian Games, notes: "Nearly a quarter of the stands are empty as the opening ceremony gets underway. A low key start as athletes parade gets underway."
Sep 19, 2026 02:48 PM IST
Asian Games 2026 Opening Ceremony Live: What a moment from the ceremony
After that beautiful rendition of the Japanese national anthem, and with the Japanese flag being raised, the entire stadium is bathed in darkness with a spotlight shining on the national flag. The organisers have had to face plenty of flak over the past few days regarding organisational issues. But now they will hope sport and Japanese reputation for being perfect with organisational matters will be in the spotlight.
Sep 19, 2026 02:43 PM IST
Asian Games 2026 Opening Ceremony Live: Japanese flag being hoisted
Nine members of the Japanese Self-Defence Forces --- Ground Self Defence Force, Maritime Self Defence Force and Air Self Defence Force --- march out carrying the Japanese national flag. We are moments away from the athlete parade. Before that, the Japanese flag will be hoisted and then Kaiko Toda will deliver a rendition of the Japanese national anthem.
Sep 19, 2026 02:35 PM IST
Asian Games 2026 Opening Ceremony Live: Ceremony begins
Naruhito, the current Emperor of Japan who took the Chrysanthemum Throne on May 1, 2019, and Empress Masako make an entrance and the entire stadium stands up in applause.
Sep 19, 2026 02:30 PM IST
Asian Games 2026 Opening Ceremony Live: Athletes heading to the stadium
An update from shuttler HS Prannoy who is already making his way towards the stadium along with a bunch of other Indian athletes
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Sep 19, 2026 02:24 PM IST
Asian Games 2026 Opening Ceremony Live: What happened to Toor
India had to make an adjustment to their combination of flagbearers hours before the Opening Ceremony. Why?
According to a report on news agency Press Trust of India, Toor had to be replaced because the shot-putter had not yet received his official kit, which will prevent him from attending the gala event.
“I am told that my kit will reach at 3pm at the (Nagoya) airport. Reaching the opening ceremony venue after collecting my kit from airport on time will be very difficult. So, I have told IOA (Indian Olympic Association) that I am not coming for opening ceremony,” Toor told PTI. “My kit is lying in India. Nobody in the athletics team has got their kits so far,” he revealed.
Sep 19, 2026 02:23 PM IST
Asian Games 2026 Opening Ceremony Live: Update from Mihir Vasavda
Mihir Vasavda, who is The Indian Express' man on the ground in Japan to cover the Asian Games, has been at the venue for the opening ceremony for the better part of the past three hours. He sent us this status report from the ground earlier in the day.
Less than three hours for the opening ceremony and the stands are gradually beginning to fill up. It’s largely been an overcast, but very humid, day. The evenings tend to get cooler. It’s expected that the ceremony, to be directed by Japanese director Tsutsumi Yukihiko, will showcase Japanese traditions, Aichi’s industry and future tech.
Sep 19, 2026 02:20 PM IST
Namaste!
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the first day (at least officially) of the Asian Games where in a few minutes the Indian contingent will march out in the athletes' parade. The contingent will be led by the two flagbearers, Manu Bhaker and Pawan Sehrawat.
Meet Quimcy Dsouza: The Teqer nearing first medal for India at Asian Games 2026
With the official opening ceremony of 2026 Asian Games still a day away, A 24-year-old test engineer from sporting goods brand Decathlon is nearing a historic first medal for India in most unlikely of the sources, Teqball.
Mumbai-born Quimcy Dsouza, who played football at U19 level, reached the semi-final of the women’s singles in Teqball on Friday.
In her first match at the Asian Games, Qumicy produced a upset after she came from a game down to beat world no 7 and home favourite Yuina Sakamoto of Japan 2-1 (10-12, 12-11, 13-11) in 43 minutes in her first match in Group B. In the next fixture, she took down Koemyean Dy of Combodia 2-0 (12-9, 12-7) in 24 minutes.
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