Asian Games kick off in Japan with football and track highlights

The Asian Games, often referred to as the ‘Asian version of the Olympics,’ are set to begin in Aichi and Nagoya, Japan, with approximately 45 participating countries and regions.

In women's football, Nadeshiko Japan, led by manager Michihisa Kano, will face Thailand in their group stage opener on September 14 at the Ogasayama General Sports Park Ecopa Stadium. While the squad is primarily composed of domestic players from the WE League, the team aims to build on their previous success at the 2023 games. The match will be available via live stream on U-NEXT, though no television broadcast is scheduled.

In track and field, sprinter Manaka Miura will compete in her first Asian Games as part of the 400-meter relay team. Miura, a rising talent in the sprinting world, is currently training at Sakushin Gakuin University and is targeting the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.