Asian Games 2026 Softball 1st event – 26 September
September 26 @ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
After a significant marketing campaign facilitated by the Softball Asian Games Organising Committee, the competition for the women’s team sport of softball at the Asian Games will hit the pitch on Saturday, 27 September 2026. First, the opening session SBL01 is the Women’s Softball Opening Round (Preliminary Round) with the first games to start at 9:00 AM JST at the Anjo Softball Ground in Anjo City, Aichi Prefecture, Japan.
Softball Asian Games 2026
| Information | Details |
|---|---|
| Event | Women’s Softball |
| Competition Stage | Opening Round (Preliminary Round) |
| Session Code | SBL01 |
| Date | Saturday, 26 September 2026 |
| Start Time | 09:00 AM JST |
| Venue | Anjo Softball Ground |
| Host Country | Japan |
| Number of Teams | 8 |
Softball Competition Schedule
The Asian Games Women’s Softball starts on 26th Sept 2026. As the eight qualified teams kick off their season, multiple pre-season games will be played throughout the day.
What Happens on Day 1?
The 2026 Asian Games softball begins on the opening day.
During this session:
- Official start of the Preliminary Round!
- The first round of matches in the group stage is played between teams.
- Valuable Points are earned for each Win.
- Early performances help determine the overall standings.
- Strong starts can provide momentum heading into the remaining group matches.
Competition Format
There are 8 teams taking part in the Women’s softball tournament in the Asian Games competition format.
The first round of the tournament is the screening of the groups in which the teams play preliminary round games to improve their standing in the group stage. Competitions are run on the official ranking – the top teams progress to the next round (Super round / Medal round). The top team of countries then fight for the gold, silver, and bronze in the final stages of the tournament.
Participating Teams
The 2026 Asian Games women’s softball tournament features eight qualified national teams:
- Japan
- Chinese Taipei
- China
- Philippines
- Singapore
- South Korea
- Hong Kong, China
- Thailand
Host Country
The 20th Asian Games will be organized in the country of Japan, and Nagoya and Aichi Prefectures are the main host of the country.
Venue Information
These are the softball competitions for women, coordinated in Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture, using Anjo Softball Ground.
Tournament Rules
Key rules include:
- Games are scheduled for seven innings.
- When games are tied at the end of seven innings, extra innings are played until the game is decided.
- International WBSC softball regulations apply throughout the tournament.
- Teams may use the designated player (DP) rule.
- The mercy rule is applied when the official WBSC run-difference conditions are met.
- Each team fields nine defensive players during play.
Ticket Information
Tickets for the softball event of the female group can be bought on the official Asian Games ticketing platform for the 2026 Games.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Softball is to kick off at Asian Games 2026 at what time?
The Opening Round (Session SBL01), which starts on Saturday, 26th September 2026 at 9:00 AM JST, is the first round of play for the ladies’ softball tournament.
At what time is the softball game being played?
Softball games are played at Anjo Softball Ground at Anjo City, Aichi Prefecture, Japan.
Confirmed Match Schedule (Updated)
Based on the official draw and match schedule from AINAGOC, here are the confirmed fixtures for this date: Preliminary Round – Day 1. All times below are local Japan Standard Time (JST, UTC+9).
| Time (JST) | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| 09:00 | China vs Singapore | Anjō Sports Park Softball Ground, Anjō |
| 11:00 | Hong Kong vs Chinese Taipei | Anjō Sports Park Softball Ground, Anjō |
| 13:15 | South Korea vs Thailand | Anjō Sports Park Softball Ground, Anjō |
| 15:15 | Japan vs Philippines | Anjō Sports Park Softball Ground, Anjō |
Total matches on this date: 4. Source: Wikipedia / AINAGOC official schedule.