Uzbekistan to compete in 42 sports at the Asian Games

Uzbekistan to compete in 42 sports at the Asian Games

A press conference was held in Tashkent dedicated to the preparation of the Uzbekistan national team for the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian and Para Asian Games. Representatives of the Ministry of Sports and the National Paralympic Committee spoke about the composition of the delegation, disciplines new to the country, and expectations for the upcoming competitions.

At the Asian Games, Uzbekistan will be represented in 42 sports. Of these, 36 are included in the Olympic program. For the first time, Uzbek athletes will compete in beach volleyball, volleyball, sailing, squash, and MMA.

Deputy Minister of Sports Shakhrullo Makhmudov emphasized that the athletes have undergone serious preparation and are ready to perform in Japan. According to him, weather conditions should not be an obstacle for the team, as the athletes are initially on equal terms with their opponents, and the necessary conditions have been created for the Uzbek delegation.

Responding to a question about medal prospects, Makhmudov stated that success can be expected in all categories — priority, promising, and developing sports. However, no specific forecast regarding the number of medals was mentioned at the press conference.

At the Para Asian Games, the Uzbekistan team will compete in 11 sports. For the first time, domestic para-athletes will participate in para-fencing, para-archery, and boccia.

Deputy Chairman of the National Paralympic Committee Hikmat Toshmatov reported that training camps were held for the para-athletes ahead of the Games. According to him, the disciplines new to the country are actively developing, and the team expects to show a decent result.

Separately, journalists asked why Uzbekistan would be represented only by the women's national team in the handball competitions. Shakhrullo Makhmudov explained that this decision was made jointly with the federation: according to experts' assessment, the women's team has a better chance of achieving a successful result.

The Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian and Para Asian Games will be another major continental start for Uzbek athletes, where the country will be represented in both traditional and new sports.