The 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games will see South Korea's top medal contenders in action right after the opening ceremony. Starting on September 21, the women's football match between North and South Korea and the baseball game against Taiwan will kick off a week filled with competitions, including swimming events featuring Hwang Sun-woo and Kim Woo-min, fencing with Song Se-ra and Oh Sang-wook, table tennis with Shin Yu-bin and Lim Jong-hun, and athletics with Woo Sang-hyeok, continuing until September 27. South Korea aims to secure 40 to 45 gold medals and finish in the top three overall, making this first week crucial for assessing performances in strong disciplines like swimming and fencing.
September 21: North-South Football Match and Taiwan Baseball Game
On September 21 at 4 p.m., the women's football team will face North Korea in their final group stage match, with the outcome affecting their ranking and quarterfinal matchups.
In swimming, the men's 800m relay team will seek to defend their title. Led by Hwang Sun-woo and Kim Woo-min, they won gold at the 2022 Hangzhou Games with an Asian record time of 7:01.73.
In baseball, the South Korean team will play Taiwan at 6:30 p.m. This marks the beginning of their quest for a fifth consecutive championship, having won from 2010 in Guangzhou to Hangzhou. Their next matches are against Hong Kong on September 22 and Thailand on September 23, with hopes of advancing to the Super Round by finishing in the top two of their group.
September 22: Song Se-ra, September 23: Hwang Sun-woo and Oh Sang-wook
On September 22, Song Se-ra will compete in the women's individual épée event. She returned to the top of the podium at the World Championships in July after four years and won a silver medal at the Hangzhou Asian Games, aiming for her first gold in an international multi-sport event.
On September 23, Hwang Sun-woo and Oh Sang-wook will defend their titles. Hwang will compete in the men's 200m freestyle, a race he won at Hangzhou with a meet record time of 1:44.40, alongside Kim Woo-min.
Oh Sang-wook will aim for a second consecutive title in the men's individual sabre event. He was a two-time champion in both individual and team events at Hangzhou and also won both events at the 2024 Paris Olympics. He will also compete in the men's team sabre event on September 26, seeking a fourth consecutive title.
Kim Woo-min in 800m and 400m; Weekend Matches for Shin Yu-bin and Woo Sang-hyeok
Three-time champion Kim Woo-min will compete in the men's 800m freestyle on September 24 and the 400m freestyle on September 25, both events in which he won gold at Hangzhou. The men's 400m relay will also take place on September 24. On September 25, Lee Joo-ho, a silver medalist at Hangzhou, will aim for his first Asian Games gold in the men's 200m backstroke.
The table tennis team finals for both men and women will occur on September 24. On September 25, the women's épée team event will feature Song Se-ra and others, as South Korea aims to reclaim the title in this event after 21 years.
On September 26, the men's sabre team event and the mixed doubles final in table tennis are scheduled. The mixed doubles team of Lim Jong-hun and Shin Yu-bin, who won bronze together at Hangzhou, will compete for South Korea's first gold medal in mixed doubles at the Asian Games.
On September 27, the men's doubles and women's singles finals in table tennis will take place. The women's handball team will play their final group match against Japan, who defeated South Korea 29-19 in the Hangzhou final.
Medals in baseball will also be awarded on this day, with the bronze medal match at noon and the final at 6:30 p.m. If South Korea finishes in the top two of the Super Round, they will aim for a fifth consecutive Asian Games title.
Woo Sang-hyeok will compete in the men's high jump final. He finished 10th at the 2014 Incheon Games as a high school student and won silver medals at the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang and Hangzhou Games. This will be his fourth Asian Games, and if he clears the qualifying round on September 24, he will aim for his first gold medal.
Archery events will take place during this period, with preliminary and early rounds scheduled. South Korea's major medal events are concentrated on October 2 and 3.
From the North-South football match and the baseball game against Taiwan on September 21 to Woo Sang-hyeok's competition on September 27, South Korea's key matches will unfold throughout the week. The number of gold medals secured in swimming and fencing is expected to significantly impact South Korea's overall ranking early in the competition.
Match times and tournament schedules are subject to change based on results and operational circumstances.
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.