Saudi Arabia to Field 144 Athletes at 2026 Asian Games
Saudi Arabia will field 144 athletes at the 20th Asian Games Aichi–Nagoya 2026 in Japan, running from 19 September to 4 October 2026. The Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee (SOPC) has confirmed the participation of 19 national teams across a wide range of disciplines.
The participating sports include athletics, 5×5 basketball, boxing, equestrian, esports, fencing, football, jiu-jitsu, judo, karate, mixed martial arts, padel, shooting, squash, swimming, taekwondo, tennis, weightlifting and wrestling. Official event documentation lists Saudi Arabia among participating countries with 144 competitors.
Selection followed clear performance criteria: athletes in individual sports must rank within the top 8 in Asia, while teams in collective sports must be within the top 4 in Asia. The SOPC has also identified 11 priority sports for podium targets and the pathway to future Olympic participation — athletics, judo, taekwondo, karate, jujitsu, swimming, weightlifting, shooting, equestrian, fencing and wrestling.
As part of final preparations, the delegation will hold a training camp in Fuji, Japan, from late August through early October 2026. Notably, around 48% of the delegation is under 23 years old, underlining a focus on developing young talent for long-term continental and global goals.
The Saudi contingent also includes Paralympic athletes, with a separate group of 44 athletes competing across 8 sports such as athletics, boccia, cycling, table tennis, swimming, taekwondo, badminton and powerlifting. The mix of experienced and emerging competitors reflects an ongoing push to strengthen Saudi sport at both regional and international levels.
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