Nagoya, Japan, July 23, 2026: The team draw ceremony for the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya from September 19 to October 4 took place at the Nagoya Hilton Hotel on Thursday, July 23.
The draw was conducted for eight team sports: water polo, handball, football, sepaktakraw, kabaddi, cricket, rugby sevens and volleyball.
The ceremony began with an energetic performance by a cheerleading group who held up signs saying “Go”, “Fight” and “Win” to set the tone for the team sports at the Asian Games.
The Chair of the OCA Coordination Committee for the 20th Asian Games, Tayyab Ikram, said the team draw ceremony was “an exciting moment for the athletes and the Olympic Movement in Asia”.
He also sent the best wishes of the OCA President, HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, to organising committee AINAGOC, the Asian Federations and all the athletes who will compete at Aichi-Nagoya.
Mr. Tayyab concluded: “The strong positive message is that the Asian Games is a platform to unite the world.”
There were also welcome addresses from the President of AINAGOC, Aichi Prefecture Governor Hideaki Ohmura; the Mayor of Nagoya city, Ichiro Hirosawa; the Japan Sports Agency Commissioner, Mr. Junichi Kawai; and Japanese Olympic Committee Vice President Ms. Yuko Mitsuya.
The team draw ceremony was declared open by Asian Games Ambassador Ken Matsudaira, a famous Japanese actor, and former national team volleyball captain Erika Araki.
WATER POLO
Women
Six teams, single round-robin format: People’s Republic of China, Japan, Singapore, Kazakhstan, Thailand, Uzbekistan.
Men
Group A: Thailand, Kazakhstan, Japan, Hong Kong China.
Group B: Republic of Korea, Islamic Republic of Iran, Singapore, People’s Republic of China.
HANDBALL
Men
Group A: Qatar, Japan, People’s Republic of China, Hong Kong China.
Group B: Bahrain, Kuwait, Republic of Korea, Islamic Republic of Iran, Kazakhstan.
Women
Single round-robin (seven teams, no draw): Japan, Republic of Korea, Kazakhstan, People’s Republic of China, Hong Kong China, Uzbekistan, Vietnam.
FOOTBALL
Men
Group A: Japan, Thailand, Kyrgyzstan, Hong Kong China.
Group B: People’s Republic of China, United Arab Emirates, Islamic Republic of Iran, DPR Korea.
Group C: Vietnam, Uzbekistan, Philippines, Kuwait.
Group D: Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia, Qatar.
Women
Group E: Japan, Chinese Taipei, Vietnam, Thailand.
Group F: Republic of Korea, DPR Korea, Bangladesh, Myanmar.
Group G: People’s Republic of China, Philippines, Uzbekistan, Hong Kong China.
SEPAKTAKRAW
Women
Team Regu (no draw): Group A: Indonesia, Japan, Republic of Korea, Thailand.
Double: Group A: Vietnam, Malaysia, Myanmar, Laos.
Group B: Philippines, Republic of Korea, India, Japan.
Quadrant: Group A: Vietnam, Philippines, Thailand, India.
Group B: Indonesia, Malaysia, Laos, Japan.
Men
Team Regu: Group A: Thailand, Laos, Indonesia, Republic of Korea.
Group B: Malaysia, India, Philippines, Japan.
Regu: Group A: Thailand, Philippines, Japan.
Group B: Malaysia, Vietnam, Myanmar.
Quadrant: Group A: Myanmar, India, Laos, Vietnam.
Group B: Indonesia, Singapore, Republic of Korea, Japan.
KABADDI
Women
Group A: Islamic Republic of Iran, Japan, Bangladesh, India.
Group B: Sri Lanka, Thailand, Chinese Taipei, Nepal.
Men
Group A: Bangladesh, Republic of Korea, Chinese Taipei, Japan, India
Group B: Nepal, Thailand, Pakistan, Malaysia, Islamic Republic of Iran.
CRICKET
Women
India v Japan, Bangladesh v People’s Republic of China, Sri Lanka v Malaysia, Pakistan v Thailand
Men
Group A: Afghanistan, Japan, Nepal.
Group B: Hong Kong China, Malaysia, Oman.
NOTE: India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh have been seeded direct to quarterfinals.
RUGBY SEVENS
Men
Group A: Hong Kong China, People’s Republic of China, Malaysia, Uzbekistan
Group B: Japan, Thailand, Republic of Korea, Kazakhstan
Group C: Sri Lanka, UAE, Singapore, Philippines
Women
Group D: Japan, Thailand, Kazakhstan, Singapore
Group E: People’s Republic of China, Hong Kong China, India, Malaysia.
VOLLEYBALL
Men
Pool A: Japan, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan
Pool B: Islamic Republic of Iran, Indonesia, Thailand, Kyrgyzstan
Pool C: Qatar, India, Vietnam, Hong Kong China
Pool D: Republic of Korea, People’s Republic of China, Chinese Taipei, Philippines
Women
Pool A: Japan, Indonesia, Nepal.
Pool B: People’s Republic of China, Kazakhstan, Philippines
Pool C: Thailand, Chinese Taipei, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia
Pool D: Vietnam, Republic of Korea, Hong Kong China, Qatar.
