Mixed martial arts will make its Asian Games debut next year in Nagoya, Japan, while cricket will remain on the programme after its controversial return at Hangzhou, the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) said.

Cricket has been retained for the Asian Games 2026, while Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) is set to make its debut at the continental meet, the Olympic Council of Asia has confirmed. "The latest development in the compilation of the sports programme came at the 41st meeting of the AINAGOC Board of Directors at Nagoya City Hall on Monday,

MMA will feature in six events and be classed as a discipline under contact sports along with the Japanese martial art of ju-jitsu and kurash, a Central Asian wrestling sport.