OCA Director-General Husain Al Musallam says the year 2026 will bring an intense and wide-ranging programme of competition and development for the Olympic movement across Asia.
Iran NOC; Tehran: In his New Year message, Al Musallam highlighted a
packed multi-sport calendar beginning with the Asian Beach Games in Sanya,
China, in April, followed by the 20th Asian Games in Aichi–Nagoya, Japan, from
September to October. He described the Asian Games as the flagship event of the
continent and expressed confidence that Japan would once again deliver a
memorable edition. A third continental event, the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts
Games, will take place in Riyadh in December.
Asian athletes will also face a demanding international schedule, with
participation at two major IOC-run events: The Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic
Winter Games in February and the Youth Olympic Games in Dakar later in the
year. Beyond competition, Al Musallam underlined the OCA’s commitment to
development, announcing expanded cooperation with IOC Olympic Solidarity.
Planned initiatives include youth camps in wrestling and e-sport, education
programmes for athletes and officials, and a broader rollout of the “Asian Games
for All” campaign through community activities such as fun runs, youth media
projects and children’s art competitions.
With all 45 Asian National Olympic Committees involved, Al Musallam
said 2026 promises to be a dynamic and forward-looking year for sport in Asia,
driven by growth, inclusion and the OCA’s guiding motto: Ever Onward.