Sports Minister Sasmit Pokhrel to Travel to Japan With Nepal’s 211-Member Asian Games Delegation

KATHMANDU, NEPAL, SEPTEMBER 11, 2026

Minister Pokhrel Joins Nepal’s Asian Games Delegation

Education and Sports Minister Sasmit Pokhrel will travel to Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, as part of Nepal’s delegation for the 20th Asian Games, which will officially run from September 19 to October 4, 2026. Nepal is sending a 211-member delegation that includes 135 athletes competing in 21 sports, while National Sports Council Member Secretary Ramcharitra Mehta will serve as Nepal’s Chef de Mission. The delegation is heading to Japan as Nepal looks to improve its Asian Games record and pursue an ambitious double-digit medal target.

135 Athletes Representing Nepal

Nepal’s athlete contingent includes 78 men and 57 women, who will represent the country across a wide range of individual and team events.

Among the sports Nepal will compete in are:

• Kabaddi

Nepal will also participate in several other disciplines, bringing the country’s total participation to 21 sports.

More Than Athletes Making the Journey

Along with the athletes, Nepal’s delegation includes coaches, managers, technical officials, medical personnel and other support staff. Together, the athletes and officials make up the 211-member national team travelling to Japan for one of Asia’s largest sporting events.

Special Training Behind Nepal’s Medal Push

Nepali athletes have been preparing through special training programmes, closed camps and targeted coaching ahead of the Games. The preparation is aimed at helping competitors perform against some of Asia’s strongest athletes while giving Nepal a better chance of improving its medal record.

Double-Digit Medal Target

Minister Pokhrel has said Nepal is targeting a double-digit medal total, including gold, at the Aichi-Nagoya Games. The goal is especially significant because Nepal has never won an Asian Games gold medal despite participating in the competition for decades.

A Chance to Make History

For the 135 Nepali athletes, Japan will offer another opportunity to turn years of training into a historic result. Each event will put them against some of the continent’s strongest competitors while carrying Nepal’s flag on one of Asia’s biggest sporting stages.

Asia Comes Together in Japan

The 20th Asian Games will bring together more than 11,000 athletes from 45 countries and regions. The Games will feature dozens of sports and hundreds of medal events, making Aichi-Nagoya one of the biggest international sporting gatherings of 2026.

Nepal Heads to Japan With Big Expectations

As Minister Sasmit Pokhrel and Nepal’s delegation prepare for Japan, attention will ultimately fall on the athletes and what they can achieve on the field of competition. A first Asian Games gold or a double-digit medal tally would make the Aichi-Nagoya campaign a major moment in Nepal’s sporting history.