The 2026 Asian Games, officially known as Aichi–Nagoya 2026, will take place from 19 September to 4 October 2026, making Nagoya the third Japanese city to host the event after Tokyo (1958) and Hiroshima (1994). The games mark a return to the traditional four-year cycle after the 2022 edition was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and they celebrate the 75th anniversary of the inaugural 1951 Asian Games. To manage ballooning costs—which rose from an estimated ¥85 billion to ¥140.5 billion ($927 million)—organizers devised a unique athletes' village, housing thousands on the Costa Serena cruise ship and in temporary wooden villas that will be repurposed as disaster-response units after the event. While competitions will be spread across Aichi and neighboring prefectures, swimming and equestrian events were relocated to the Tokyo Aquatics Centre and Tokyo Equestrian Park after original venues failed to meet international regulations. The torch relay began on 18 August with a flame-lighting ceremony at the Japan National Stadium in Tokyo, honoring the legacy of past Games.