The Games will run from September 19 to October 4, bringing together more than 11,000 athletes from 45 countries over 16 days.

The UAE delegation comprises 117 male and 48 female athletes who will compete in athletics, swimming, taekwondo, padel, football, esports, equestrian sports (including show jumping and dressage), cycling, archery, rowing and sailing, fencing, golf, shooting, judo, modern pentathlon, triathlon, jiu-jitsu, rugby, weightlifting, boxing and karate.

The announcement was made at a press conference at the NOC headquarters in Dubai, attended by Fares Mohammed Al Mutawa, Secretary-General of the UAE National Olympic Committee; Dr Nasser Al Tamimi, NOC Board Member and Chairman of the Technical Committee; and representatives of the participating sports federations.

The 20th Asian Games will feature 43 sports and 71 disciplines, with 1,407 medals to be awarded across 469 events.

The UAE will also participate in the fourth Summer Youth Olympic Games in Dakar 2026, which are scheduled to take place in Senegal from 31 October to 13 November.

The UAE delegation to Dakar will comprise 15 athletes, including nine men and six women, competing across 10 sports: athletics, archery, triathlon, boxing, equestrian, swimming, fencing, cycling, judo and badminton.

The Youth Olympic Games will be held across Dakar, Diamniadio and Saly, bringing together around 2,700 athletes competing in 25 sports across 151 events.

Al Mutawa said the two participations would strengthen the UAE’s presence on the continental and Olympic sporting stages, noting that the upcoming events offer athletes new opportunities to deliver strong performances and build on achievements from previous competitions.

Dr Al Tamimi highlighted the importance of the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 and Dakar 2026 Games as significant milestones for UAE sport. He described the Asian Games as one of the most prominent continental sporting events, while the Youth Olympic Games provide an important platform for gaining experience and for developing a new generation of athletes capable of sustaining the UAE’s sporting achievements.

He added that the UAE National Olympic Committee, in cooperation with national sports federations, continues to work to provide the best possible conditions for participating teams and athletes, supporting their preparations and enabling them to perform at their best while representing the UAE.

Ahmed Al Tayeb, Director of Technical and Sports Affairs at the UAE National Olympic Committee, presented key figures and technical details for the two participations, including the number of athletes and sports, the UAE’s historical participation in the Asian Games, and the technical, administrative and organisational preparations for both delegations.

The UAE national teams in modern pentathlon and padel will make their Asian Games debuts. The UAE rugby sevens team will compete in a group that includes Sri Lanka, Singapore and the Philippines.

The UAE national football team is set to begin its campaign against Iran on September 16, after being drawn into Group B alongside China, North Korea and Iran.