Opening Ceremony Live: Aichi-Nagoya welcomes India

Hi and welcome to India Today's live coverage of the Asian Games 2026 opening ceremony in Nagoya, Japan.

Now comes the message behind the spectacle. Directed by Yukihiko Tsutsumi, the opening ceremony is themed ‘Harmonic Heart Beat’, with organisers aiming to celebrate unity and solidarity across a continent often divided by geopolitical tensions and sporting rivalries.

After a bumpy build-up in Nagoya, the ceremony offers a chance to shift the focus back to what brings these athletes together. For the next few hours, it is about Asia sharing one stage, one celebration and, fittingly, one heartbeat.

And we’re off! The Asian Games 2026 opening ceremony is officially underway at Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium in Nagoya, with the IOC chief and Japan’s Emperor and Empress among the dignitaries in attendance.

The stadium is coming alive as the celebrations begin, with athletes and contingents ready for their moment on the big stage. The sporting action can wait for a little while longer. For now, it’s all about the spectacle and the celebrations.

The Blue Impulse aerobatic team has taken to the skies in a special demonstration flight marking the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026.

A little aerial spectacle before the athletes take centre stage. The opening ceremony is getting closer by the minute!

A slice of Japanese tradition is lighting up the pre-show! Members of a traditional martial arts group are putting on a performance ahead of the opening ceremony, bringing plenty of energy and culture to the build-up.

Nagoya is warming up nicely. The main event is almost here!

The Asian Games party is officially warming up! Japanese boy band INI has taken the stage in Nagoya, performing during the pre-show ahead of the opening ceremony.

The crowd is getting a taste of the entertainment before the athletes and contingents take centre stage. The main event is still to come

From the kabaddi mat to the biggest stage! Pawan Sehrawat has been handed a late but huge honour as India’s replacement male flag-bearer, stepping in for Tajinderpal Singh Toor.

And Pawan has reacted to the news, sharing his excitement at getting the opportunity to lead the Indian contingent into the Asian Games opening ceremony.

A last-minute change, but a fitting one. 📷 Kabaddi star Pawan Sehrawat has replaced Tajinderpal Singh Toor as India’s male flag-bearer at the Asian Games opening ceremony in Nagoya. Sehrawat was part of India’s gold-winning kabaddi team at Hangzhou 2023. He now leads India into… pic.twitter.com/arOEqQGS1W

And there’s another kit headache for India. According to NNIS, the country’s athletics contingent could miss tonight’s opening ceremony because their official ceremony kits have reportedly not reached them yet.

The issue appears to go beyond the ceremony. The reports suggest that some athletes are still waiting for their playing and podium kits, with the Indian Olympic Association having handed the kit operation to JSW Sports. The delay has already had a visible impact, with Tajinderpal Singh Toor replaced as India’s flag-bearer by Pawan Sehrawat.

Nagoya is ready for the show, but some of India’s athletes are still waiting to get dressed for it.

And the kit saga continues! India’s men’s cricket team is still waiting on a few correctly sized Asian Games jerseys, with the Shreyas Iyer-led side due to leave for Nagoya early Sunday. Most of the sizing issues have now been sorted, but a few deliveries are pending.

There is a little more to this one. The men’s team will first wear its regular India kit for the September 22 T20I against Japan before switching to the official Asian Games jersey for the tournament, which starts with the quarter-finals on September 28. The BCCI has also made separate hotel arrangements after concerns over the organisers’ rooms, including insufficient space for the players’ kit bags.

The athletes are ready, but Nagoya’s build-up has been anything but smooth.

The decision to go without a traditional Games Village has meant athletes and officials are spread across hotels and other accommodation, creating logistical headaches and some unhappy moments.

For India, the build-up has included accommodation concerns, athletes facing difficulties getting around and uncertainty over arrangements. The traditional flag-hoisting ceremony was also delayed on Friday, leaving India and four other contingents waiting for clarity from the organisers.

Then came the weather headache, with the threat of Typhoon Peipah forcing organisers to prepare evacuation plans for athletes staying on the Costa Serena cruise ship.

None of this is quite the smooth run-up you would expect before a continental sporting spectacle, but with the ceremony finally upon us, Nagoya gets its chance to reset the mood.

The opening ceremony may be minutes away, but India have been busy already!

The women’s cricket team stormed into the semi-finals after brushing aside Japan, while teqball has given us a proper storyline with Quimcy Dsouza now fighting for two bronze medals.

There has been some heartbreak too. India’s men’s soft tennis campaign ended in the quarter-finals, while Dsouza fell short in the singles semi-final this morning. Still, she has two more shots at a podium finish on Sunday, including alongside Mohamed Anas Imran Beg in mixed doubles.

A little twist before the big march! Manu Bhaker will still lead India into the opening ceremony, but Tajinderpal Singh Toor has been replaced by kabaddi star Pawan Sehrawat as the male flag-bearer after a delay in receiving his ceremonial kit.

Bhaker, a double Olympic medallist, gets her moment at her third Asian Games, while Sehrawat arrives as part of India’s gold-winning kabaddi team from Hangzhou.

Toor, meanwhile, will turn his focus to defending his Asian Games shot-put crown when athletics gets underway.

Good afternoon, folks! The wait is almost over as Nagoya gets ready to turn on the Asian Games magic.

The 20th edition of the continental showpiece is set to run for 16 action-packed days, with athletes from across Asia chasing medals, making memories and, hopefully, a little history.

The sporting action has already begun, but today is about the big stage, the flags, the athletes and the celebrations. India’s contingent is ready to march into the spotlight, so settle in and join us for all the action from the opening ceremony!