Day: August 31, 2025

The Asian Games are Asia’s biggest multi-sport event and a platform for international exchange, cultural connection, and the celebration of diversity across the continent.

Held every four years, the Asian Games feature both Olympic-style sports and those unique to the continent such as kabaddi and sepak takraw. This mix reflects the rich culture of Asia and offers spectators a chance to see competitions that don’t often receive international attention.

MMA will feature six events in its Asian Games debut and be classed as a discipline under Combat Sports, alongside kurash and jujitsu. Interest will be high, not only because of cricket’s popularity in Asia but also because it represents a major milestone in the sport’s Olympic history. It will be the first time that the sport has been played at the Olympics since 1900 in Paris when matches between Great Britain and France were held.

Esports will be part of the Asian Games 2026 with 11 titles confirmed including PUBG and League of Legends. The inclusion of esports at the Asian Games is a reflection of its growing popularity, but also shows how the choice of titles can be strategic to optimize production and broadcasting and align with the stringent protocols required by high-stakes international sporting events.

The logo and slogan for the Asian Games 2026 were created by a group comprising members of the Organizing Committee as well as representatives from various communities, utilizing input from local people. They are intended to communicate the spirit of the Games, which offer an opportunity to develop a new direction for inclusive society and Para sports.

The Champions League is one of the most prestigious competitions in world football. Originally the tournament was limited to teams from different European countries, but eventually it became an open tournament that accepted clubs from all nations. Over the years, it has grown to its current size of 36 teams.

The competition continues with a series of two-legged knockout games through to the final that takes place in May. From the 2024-25 season, the format was changed to make it more streamlined. Rather than having groups, the Champions League has individual eight-game fixture lists for each team. This makes the league phase more meaningful and gives the final eight a clear path to the semifinals.

UEFA have also changed how the draw for the quarterfinals and semifinals works, with the teams not being split into different pots. This allows any remaining club to be drawn together regardless of whether they finished first or second in their group, played in the same group with each other, are a team from the same domestic league, or have ever met before in a previous Champions League tie.

The new system has created a number of intriguing clashes. Defending champions Paris Saint-Germain, for example, will have to face Chelsea, Bayern Munich, Atalanta, Tottenham and Arsenal, all from Pot 1. This looks like a gauntlet run that could prove difficult for them. It also means that a single result could mean the difference between qualifying for the last 16, having to compete in a two-legged play-off round, or dropping into Europa League.