Afghanistan has sent a 34-member team to Japan to compete in the 20th Asian Games, with athletes set to represent the country across nine sports during Asia’s largest multi-sport event, sports officials said on Monday.
The athletes departed after a farewell ceremony in Kabul attended by Ahmadullah Wasiq, head of Afghanistan’s General Directorate of Physical Education and Sports. Officials said the delegation includes competitors in taekwondo, judo, kurash and traditional wrestling, along with coaches, referees, medical staff and team officials.
According to the sports directorate, the taekwondo team includes two athletes, one coach, one doctor and one team official. Afghanistan will also be represented by two judokas and a coach, three kurash athletes accompanied by three referees and a coach, and two traditional wrestling athletes with their coaching staff and officials.
Wasiq wished the athletes success and urged them to represent Afghanistan with determination and discipline during the continental competition.
The 2026 Asian Games will be held in Aichi and Nagoya, Japan, from September 19 to October 4, bringing together athletes from 45 Asian countries in 41 sports. The event is organized by the Olympic Council of Asia and is regarded as the continent’s premier sporting competition after the Olympic Games.
For Afghanistan, the Games provide one of the country’s biggest opportunities to compete on the international stage. Afghan athletes have continued to participate in regional and global competitions despite years of conflict and political upheaval, with many training under limited resources both inside and outside the country.
Several Afghan athletes have previously won medals in combat sports, particularly taekwondo, wrestling and martial arts, making those disciplines among the country’s strongest medal prospects at regional events. Officials said the broader Afghan delegation includes competitors across nine sporting disciplines, reflecting efforts to maintain participation in major international tournaments.
The Asian Games will feature thousands of athletes from across the continent and serve as a key qualification pathway for several international competitions while showcasing Asia’s leading sporting talent.
