Nagoya Again in Two Weeks: What Malaysian Fans Need to Know About the 2026 Asian Para Games

The Asian Games have just ended, but Nagoya hosts another multi-sport event in two weeks. The Asian Para Games run from 18 to 24 October 2026, with Paloma Mizuho Stadium again the main venue.

Here is what Malaysian fans should know.

The basics

• Dates: 18–24 October 2026
• Host: Aichi Prefecture and Nagoya, Japan. Nagoya is the first Japanese city to host the Asian Para Games.
• Programme: 508 medal events in 18 sports (19 disciplines). Para athletics has 162 events and para swimming 130.
• Participants: About 3,600 to 4,000 athletes from the 45 member nations of the Asian Paralympic Committee (APC) are expected.
• Motto: "Imagine One Heart". The mascot is Uzumin.
• Venues: Shared with the Asian Games that just finished.

The 18 sports

Para archery, para athletics, para badminton, blind football, boccia, para cycling (track and road), goalball, para judo, para powerlifting, shooting para sport, para swimming, para table tennis, para taekwondo, sitting volleyball, wheelchair basketball, wheelchair fencing, wheelchair rugby and wheelchair tennis.

All 18 are on the Paralympic programme. APC president Majid Rashed said the timing, two years after Paris and two years before LA 2028, gives athletes a real test of their progress in a large multi-sport event.

Malaysia's record at the last edition

At Hangzhou 2022, held in October 2023, Malaysia sent 98 athletes across 14 sports and finished 12th with 7 gold, 15 silver and 17 bronze, 39 medals in total.

The golds came from:

• Muhammad Nur Syaiful Zulkafli, swimming, men's 100m breaststroke SB4
• Nur Suraiya Muhammad Zamri, cycling, women's B 1000m time trial
• Muhammad Ziyad Zolkefli, athletics, men's shot put F20
• Datuk Abdul Latif Romly, athletics, men's long jump T20
• Bonnie Bunyau Gustin, powerlifting, men's 72kg
• Muhammad Ammar Aiman Nor Azmi, athletics, men's 400m T20
• Noor Askuzaimey Mat Salim, boccia, women's individual BC4

Since Paris

At the Paris 2024 Paralympics, Malaysia won five medals. Para badminton player Cheah Liek Hou (SU5) and powerlifter Bonnie Bunyau Gustin both retained their titles. Latif Romly and Ziyad Zolkefli won silver, and sprinter Eddy Bernard took bronze in the 100m T44.

Malaysian para athletes were also prominent at the 2025 ASEAN Para Games. Para athletics alone earned RM550,800 under the Sports Victory Reward Scheme (SHAKAM), the largest para-sport total, from 20 golds, 22 silvers and 23 bronzes.

Shared venues after a difficult Games

The Asian Games were criticised for accommodation and transport problems. With the Para Games using the same venues, that matters even more for athletes with disabilities, who need accessible transport and housing. The organisers have apologised for the Asian Games problems. How well they have fixed them will show within days of the Para Games opening.

What to watch

Malaysia's final squad and medal targets for Nagoya had not been widely reported when this article was published. PlayDash will cover them once the Paralympic Council of Malaysia confirms the team. On past results, athletics, powerlifting, para badminton, swimming and boccia are where Malaysia has won gold before.

Key takeaways

• The 2026 Asian Para Games run in Nagoya from 18 to 24 October, with 508 events in 18 sports.
• Malaysia finished 12th at the last edition (Hangzhou 2022) with 7 gold, 15 silver and 17 bronze.
• Malaysia's Paris 2024 champions Cheah Liek Hou and Bonnie Bunyau Gustin are the best-known names in its para programme.
• The Para Games share venues with the Asian Games, which were criticised over logistics.

FAQ

When are the 2026 Asian Para Games? 18–24 October 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.

How did Malaysia do at the last Asian Para Games? At Hangzhou 2022 (held in 2023), Malaysia finished 12th with 39 medals, including 7 golds.

How many sports are in the programme? 18 sports, all on the Paralympic programme, with 508 medal events.

Sources: International Paralympic Committee, Twentytwo13, Malay Mail