The Games started nine days before the "official" start. Here is what Indonesia's 430 athletes walked into in Nagoya. 

At a glance

• 430: Indonesian athletes competing in 35 sports
• 4: gold medals Indonesia is targeting (it won 7 in Hangzhou)
• 11,000+: athletes at these Games, more than the 10,813 at Paris 2024

Nine days before Emperor Naruhito declared the Games open, athletes were already playing basketball in Nagoya. That is the odd thing about the Asian Games 2026 opening ceremony: it did not start the Games. It started the party. 

The Asian Games 2026 opening ceremony took place on Saturday, 19 September 2026, at Paloma Mizuho Stadium in Nagoya, Japan. Emperor Naruhito opened the 20th Asian Games in front of a stadium built for 30,000 people. More than 11,000 athletes from 45 countries and regions will compete in 43 sports until 4 October. Tickets for the ceremony cost between ¥7,500 and ¥60,000. 

What happened at the Asian Games 2026 opening ceremony?

The theme was "Harmonic Heart Beat," and the stage was shaped like a heart. A kabuki actor flew across it in front of a model of Nagoya Castle. Later, hammer throw champion Koji Murofushi and his father Shigenobu lit the cauldron together.

The mood was quieter than the lights. Reporters noticed many empty seats and heard only polite applause. In Kemenpora's photos, a huge gold flag ripples over the field while dancers in hot pink move behind rows of orchestra chairs. 

Japan brought the biggest team, with 933 athletes. It is the third time Japan has hosted, after Tokyo 1958 and Hiroshima 1994. Organizing committee president Hideaki Ohmura said he hopes the Games will be remembered as a symbol of friendship and peace in Asia.

How did Indonesia show up at the opening ceremony?

Indonesia wore its culture. Basketball player Dewa Ayu Made Sriartha Kusuma Dewi and karate athlete Daniel Hutapea carried the Merah Putih flag. Ayu's outfit had a Balinese touch, while Daniel wore Batak Toba clothing. Ghea Fashion Studio and Sarinah designed the looks under the theme "Harmony in Diversity."

About 50 athletes marched in jerseys with the Batak Gorga pattern. The photos show black tracksuits, small red-and-white flags, and officials in woven scarves and traditional headgear. It looked less like a uniform and more like a family photo. 

Kemenpora, Indonesia's sports ministry, called the night a celebration of culture, friendship, and sportsmanship. Its Instagram post had over 1,100 likes within hours. 

 

 

 

 

 

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Why did the Games start before the opening ceremony?

Team sports need many days for group games and knockout rounds, so men's basketball began on 10 September. Indonesia's women's volleyball team reached the quarterfinals, and women's teqball reached a final, before the ceremony even happened.

The lead-up was messy too. To save money, organizers skipped the traditional athletes' village. Athletes sleep in container-style huts, hotels, and a cruise ship called the Costa Serena. Some teams said the beds were too short. 

Here is a fact worth sharing: the Asian Games has more athletes than the Olympics. Paris 2024 had 10,813 athletes. Nagoya expects more than 11,000, competing in 469 medal events. 

How many gold medals does Indonesia want at the Asian Games 2026?

Indonesia sent 430 athletes in 35 sports and set a target of four gold medals. That is fewer than the seven golds it won in Hangzhou in 2023, when it finished 13th. Erick Thohir has also announced a Rp3 billion bonus for individual gold medallists.

Nagoya has history with Indonesia too. In 2018, at the Jakarta Games, its mayor asked for two Komodo dragons for his zoo, then sang an Elvis song to make his point. 

The Games run until 4 October. Indonesia's ceremony is done. Now the medal count begins.