Saudi Arabia Names 144 Athletes for Asian Games 2026

Saudi Arabia has named a delegation of 144 athletes to compete at the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026, set to take place in Nagoya, Japan, from 19 September to 4 October 2026. The squad will contest 19 sports and disciplines, marking the Kingdom's 12th appearance at the continental multi-sport event.

The delegation will compete across a broad program that includes athletics, 5x5 basketball, boxing, equestrian, esports, fencing, football, jiu-jitsu, judo, karate, mixed martial arts, padel, shooting, squash, swimming, taekwondo, tennis, weightlifting, and wrestling.

Officials have identified 11 priority sports as podium targets: athletics, judo, taekwondo, karate, jujitsu, swimming, weightlifting, shooting, equestrian, fencing, and wrestling. Selection followed clear performance criteria, requiring athletes to be ranked within the top eight in Asia for individual events and the top four in Asia for team events.

A notable feature of the squad is its youth, with around 48% of the delegation under 23 years old. This reflects a growing emphasis on developing younger talent and building depth for future international competitions.

For the Saudi community, the Games offer a chance to follow home athletes across a wide range of familiar and emerging sports, from football and swimming to esports and padel. The delegation details are set and announced through the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee and related sports-sector platforms.

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