Asian Games 2026 opening ceremony: When and where to watch live in India

India's Asian Games 2026 campaign officially begins with the opening ceremony in Aichi-Nagoya, as the Indian contingent prepares to march into the stadium on Saturday. Manu Bhaker will lead the Indian delegation alongside Pawan Sehrawat after a last-minute change involving Tajinderpal Singh Toor.

In Short

• Manu Bhaker and Tajinderpal Singh Toor will carry India's flag at the opening ceremony
• Around 500 Indian athletes will compete across 35 sports in Aichi-Nagoya
• India will look to improve on its record 107-medal haul from 2023 Asian Games

The 2026 Asian Games will officially begin in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, on Saturday, September 19, with Manu Bhaker and Pawan Sehrawat set to carry the Indian flag at the opening ceremony. Sehrawat replaced Tajinderpal Singh Toor at the last minute after the shot-putter was unable to travel to Nagoya from his training base in Tsukuba.

Bhaker and Toor were announced as India’s flag-bearers on Friday, but the plans changed on Saturday morning. According to PTI, Toor remains at the University of Tsukuba training base and told the agency that he cannot attend the ceremony as he is yet to receive his official Games kit.

Toor, the defending Asian Games shot put champion, had been due to lead the Indian contingent alongside Bhaker. His replacement sees seasoned kabaddi player Sehrawat take over the ceremonial role, with the former Asian Games gold medallist now set to join Bhaker at the head of the Indian contingent.

Bhaker comes into the Games after making history at the Paris 2024 Olympics, where she became the first athlete from independent India to win two medals at a single edition of the Games. Sehrawat, meanwhile, was part of India’s gold-medal-winning kabaddi team at the 2023 Asian Games.

A 158-member Indian contingent will participate in the opening ceremony, while around 500 Indian athletes are set to compete across 35 sports during the Games.

India will look to build on its record performance from the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games, where it won 107 medals, including 28 gold. The Aichi-Nagoya edition will provide another opportunity for the Indian contingent to add to that tally.

The 20th Asian Games will feature athletes from 45 countries and regions competing across 43 sports. Japan is hosting the continental multi-sport event for the third time, after previously staging the Games in Tokyo in 1958 and Hiroshima in 1994.

Asian Games 2026 opening ceremony: When and where to watch

When is the Asian Games 2026 opening ceremony?

The opening ceremony of the Asian Games 2026 will take place on Saturday, September 19, in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.

Time: 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM local time in Japan (JST), which is 2:30 PM to 4:30 PM IST.

Where can you watch the Asian Games 2026 opening ceremony on TV in India?

The opening ceremony will be telecast live in India on Sony Sports 1 and Sony Sports 5.

Regional-language coverage will also be available on Sony Sports 3 in Hindi and Sony Sports 4 in Tamil, Telugu and Kannada.

Where can you watch the Asian Games 2026 opening ceremony online?

The Asian Games 2026 opening ceremony will be available for live streaming on SonyLIV through its app and website in India.

Who are India's flag-bearers for the Asian Games 2026 opening ceremony?

Manu Bhaker and Tajinderpal Singh Toor have been named India's flag-bearers for the opening ceremony.

Bhaker won two bronze medals at the Paris 2024 Olympics, while Toor is a two-time Asian Games champion in men's shot put.

How many Indian athletes will compete at the Asian Games 2026?

Around 500 Indian athletes will compete in 35 sports at the Asian Games. Athletics has the biggest Indian representation, with more than 75 athletes in the team.

India's contingent includes leading names such as PV Sindhu, Mirabai Chanu, Manu Bhaker, Aman Sehrawat and Lovlina Borgohain.

What was India's medal tally at the last Asian Games?

India won a record 107 medals, including 28 gold, at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.

Athletics contributed 29 medals to India's tally, including six gold, while shooting won 22 medals, including seven gold.

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