The 2026 Asian Games cricket schedule has been confirmed by the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games Organising Committee. The tournament will be played in the T20 format and will run from September 17 to October 3 in Japan, beginning before the official Asian Games dates of September 19 to October 4.
India will enter the event as the defending champions in both the men’s and women’s competitions. The women’s team secured the gold medal after defeating Sri Lanka by 19 runs in the final. In the men’s event, Ruturaj Gaikwad led India to gold when the final against Afghanistan was abandoned due to rain.
Asian Games 2026 Cricket Schedule and Format Confirmed
The Asian Games cricket tournament will begin on September 17, with the gold medal matches scheduled for October 3. Japan will host the event in Aichi-Nagoya, and all men’s and women’s matches will be played at the Karogi Athletic Park in Aichi prefecture, as stated by Olympics.com.
The competition will be played entirely in the T20 format. As per the schedule, the men’s tournament will start on September 24 and conclude on October 3. A total of 10 teams, including defending champions India, will take part.
If the rules remain the same as the 2023 Asian Games, the top four seeded teams will advance directly to the quarterfinals, while the remaining six teams will play preliminary matches for the other spots.
Every matchday will feature double-headers, with games starting at 5:30 AM IST and 10:30 AM IST, which correspond to 9 AM and 2 PM local time in Japan.
Asian Games 2026 Women’s Cricket to Begin on September 17
The women’s cricket event at the 2026 Asian Games will begin on September 17, with the medal matches scheduled for September 22. The tournament will feature eight teams and will follow a knockout format, starting directly from the quarterfinal stage.
Cricket will feature at the Asian Games for the fourth time. The sport has appeared only three times across the tournament’s 19 editions, with the latest being the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.
Cricket first appeared at the Asian Games in Guangzhou 2010 and returned in Incheon 2014, although those editions did not carry international status. Beyond the Asian Games, cricket will return to the Olympics at LA 2028, marking its first Olympic appearance since 1900.
Asian Games 2026 Men’s Cricket Schedule:
| Date | Matches |
|---|---|
| September 24 | Preliminary Qualifier 1 & 2 |
| September 25 | Preliminary Qualifier 3 & 4 |
| September 26 | Preliminary Qualifier 5 & 6 |
| September 28 | Quarterfinal 1 & 2 |
| October 1 | Semifinal 1 & 2 |
| October 3 | Bronze Medal Match (3rd Place Playoff) & Gold Medal Match |
Asian Games 2026 Women’s Cricket Schedule:
| Date | Matches |
|---|---|
| September 17 | Quarterfinal 1 & 2 |
| September 18 | Quarterfinal 3 & 4 |
| September 20 | Semifinal 1 & 2 |
| September 22 | Bronze Medal Match (3rd Place Playoff) & Gold Medal Match (Final) |
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