Japan has built a purpose-designed cricket ground, Korogi Sports Park, near Nagoya to host cricket matches for the Asian Games in September and October 2026 [1, 2]. The venue was converted from a baseball field, and still features a pitcher's mound just beyond the cricket boundary [1].
The Asian Games will run from September 19 to October 4, with cricket included among the contested sports [1, 2]. Star teams such as India and Pakistan are scheduled to play at Korogi Sports Park during the tournament [1, 2].
Since May 14, the venue has been hosting the East Asia-Pacific qualifiers for the 2028 men’s T20 World Cup [1, 2]. The qualifiers include teams from Japan, Vanuatu, Fiji, Samoa, Indonesia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, the Cook Islands, and South Korea [1].
The cricket ground is about a 40-minute train ride from central Nagoya [1]. Japanese sports fans, typically unfamiliar with cricket’s rules, have shown growing interest in the sport ahead of the Games. The Japan Times described curious spectators consulting rulebooks as they watched players hit sixes into the sand and weeds surrounding the new ground [1, 2]. The South China Morning Post noted that many Japanese would be stumped by cricket despite their familiarity with other Asian Games sports [1].
Korogi Sports Park represents Japan’s expanding engagement with cricket ahead of hosting international tournaments. Matches will continue there through the Asian Games starting in September.
