Nagoya, Japan, May 19, 2026: National Olympic Committees can look forward to three days of team welcome ceremonies at the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya this September.
The traditional ceremonies - which involve the playing of the national anthem, the raising of the flag, a cultural performance and an exchange of gifts with the village mayor to symbolize each delegation’s official arrival at the Asian Games - will take place at the athletes’ interaction area at Athlete Plaza located at the Nagoya Port Garden Pier.
Team Welcome Ceremonies will be held over three days, from September 16-18, closing one day before the Asian Games opening ceremony on September 19 at Nagoya City Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium.
There are three, 30-minute time slots each day, at 10am, 1.30pm and 5pm. Each 30-minute session will feature five NOCs, represented by the Chef de Mission or representative of the team, athletes and team officials.
Details of the Team Welcome Ceremony were included in the report by organising committee AINAGOC at the second World Broadcasters Meeting on Tuesday, May 19.
In other news:
*The opening and closing ceremonies will both be held at the refurbished Nagoya City Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium. The opening ceremony on September 19 will run from 6pm to 8pm and the closing ceremony on October 4 from 6pm to 7.30pm.
*The opening ceremony concept reflects Asian athletes united in heart and is entitled “Harmonic Heart Beat”, while the closing ceremony concept is about being united in inspiration and entitled “One Asia”.
*The chief creative director is Yukihiko Tsutsumi, who was born in Nagoya City in 1955. He is famous for directing films, theatre, digital art and other fields and has won many awards both domestically and internationally.