Nagoya Asian Games Kick Off Thursday; Ticket Sales Lag, Venue Leaks Reported
AM730 · 2 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
The Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games officially commence Thursday with basketball events, while the opening ceremony is set for September 19. Ticket sales remain sluggish at just over 60 percent sold, with organizers urging fans to purchase tickets for football, baseball, and events outside Aichi Prefecture. Heavy rain in Nagoya on Wednesday caused water accumulation at some venues and forced hundreds of athletes to relocate temporarily from their accommodation at Nagoya Garden Pier.
Key Points
- The Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games run from September 19 to October 4, with over 11,000 athletes from 45 countries competing across 54 venues
- Ticket sales stand at just over 60 percent across 31 sporting events as of Monday, with table tennis and volleyball proving most popular
- Football and baseball events, along with competitions in Gifu and Shizuoka prefectures and the closing ceremony, still have significant unsold inventory
- Approximately 60 North Korean athletes in football and gymnastics arrived via Beijing on Wednesday, with the full delegation totaling about 100 participants in 14 events
- Due to China-Japan tensions, esports events exclude games developed by Chinese companies, featuring only Japanese-owned titles like Tekken, KOF, and Street Fighter alongside League of Legends
Why It Matters
The delayed ticket sales and venue infrastructure issues could dampen the atmosphere for Japan's first Asian Games since 1994, while the diplomatic sensitivities surrounding esports and North Korea's participation add geopolitical complexity to what is meant to be a celebration of regional unity through sport .
The delayed ticket sales and venue infrastructure issues could dampen the atmosphere for Japan's first Asian Games since 1994, while the diplomatic sensitivities surrounding esports and North Korea's participation add geopolitical complexity to what is meant to be a celebration of regional unity through sport .