New Delhi: Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Mansukh Mandaviya on Thursday chaired a high-level meeting at the headquarters of the Sports Authority of India to review India’s preparations for the 2026 Asian Games.
The games will be held in Aichi and Nagoya, Japan, from September 19 to October 4.
During the meeting, Mandaviya said the government would prioritise athlete welfare and performance. He stated that the government would provide every possible support, including training, sports science, logistics, kit support, food assistance, and medical care. He added that the aim was to allow athletes to focus on preparation and improve India’s medal tally at the Asian Games.
The minister also stressed the need for strong coordination among stakeholders. He said structured planning and timely preparation would help India achieve new milestones at the 2026 Asian Games.
As part of the preparation strategy, each National Sports Federation has designated a nodal officer for the Asian Games technical handbook, according to an official statement.
The officer will guide players, coaches, and support staff on discipline-wise technical requirements. Authorities will also finalise teams well in advance to allow athletes adequate time for focused training.
Officials are working to strengthen the capacity of support staff, including medical teams. Authorities will coordinate with Indian embassies abroad to manage logistics during the Games. Federations have received the freedom to plan exposure tours and competition schedules.
For disciplines that require complex planning, officials will organise support across multiple locations with dedicated staff at each venue. Authorities are also paying special attention to acclimatisation, including food and environmental conditions. Preparations are underway to simulate competition environments in India before the Games begin.
India aims to surpass the historic 106-medal haul achieved at the 2022 Asian Games held in Hangzhou. Officials expect more than 700 Indian athletes to compete across over 40 sports disciplines in the 2026 edition.
During the meeting, officials highlighted that the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games will follow a five-cluster competition model. Athletes will compete across multiple prefectures instead of staying in a single Olympic-village style accommodation. Venues will spread across clusters, including Aichi, Gifu, Shizuoka, and the Airport-Expo zone. The model requires detailed planning for travel, logistics, medical support, and athlete recovery.
A 15-member committee oversees the preparations for the 2026 Asian Games. The committee includes Secretary of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports Hari Ranjan Rao, President of the Indian Olympic Association P. T. Usha, Asian Games Chef de Mission Sahdev Yadav, and Deputy Chef de Mission Sharath Kamal. The panel has held four meetings since December 2025 to streamline planning related to training, logistics, athlete welfare, and competition readiness.
