Asian Games 2026 Water Polo event – October 2
October 2 @ 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
The Water Polo competition, a part of the Asian Games 2026, ushered in one of its most pivotal moments on the deciding day of medals at the Nagoya City General Gymnasium (Rainbow Pool), Nagoya, Japan, on Friday, 2 October 2026. The day will be divided into Women’s Gold Medal Matchday (where the results decide gold, silver and bronze) and a Men’s tournament, which will enter the semi-final stage with the eventual winners being determined.
Water Polo October 2 event
| Information | Details |
|---|---|
| Event | Water Polo |
| Asian Games Edition | 20th Asian Games Aichi–Nagoya 2026 |
| Date | Friday, 2 October 2026 |
| Competition Day | Gold Medal Matchday |
| Women’s Competition | Final Round-Robin Matches |
| Men’s Competition | Semifinals |
| Competition Stage | Medal Day & Knockout Stage |
| Venue | Nagoya City General Gymnasium (Rainbow Pool) |
| City | Nagoya |
| Country | Japan |
| Women’s Medal Events | Gold, Silver & Bronze Finalized |
| Men’s Status | Finalists Decided |
Water Polo Event Categories
The Water Polo competition in the Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026 consists of two medal events:
- Men’s Tournament
- Women’s Tournament
Water Polo Schedule – October 2, 2026
| Session | Competition | Stage | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Women’s Tournament | Final Round-Robin Matches | Gold Medal Matchday | Nagoya City General Gymnasium (Rainbow Pool) |
| Men’s Tournament | Semifinal Matches | Knockout Stage | Nagoya City General Gymnasium (Rainbow Pool) |
| Men’s Tournament | Placement Matches | Classification Round | Nagoya City General Gymnasium (Rainbow Pool) |
Women’s Gold Medal Matchday
The last and most vital day of Women’s Water Polo at the Asian Games is Friday, 2 October, 2026. Once the final round of the round robin format is reached, all outcomes are knockout, save a final round, in order to present a medal round.
Men’s Semifinal Knockout Stage
The knockout round of the Men’s Water Polo Tournament takes place on October 2 when the top four teams in the group round qualify for the semifinal stage.
Single-elimination tournaments that only move forward as a result of wins in each of the semis. The victorious team will advance to the Asian Games 2026 Men’s Gold Medal Match, and the defeated team will go on to the Bronze Medal Match.
Competition Format
Women’s competition is on a round-robin basis, where all countries involved in the event will play each other in the tournament. The points are awarded based on the match results, and no championship final is held to qualify teams for gold, silver, and bronze medals.
The men’s event starts with a group stage, where the teams fight for qualification for the knockout stage. The five top teams advance to face each other in a traditional elimination bracket to the Asian champion, including the bronze medal match and the Asian Games Final.
Host Country
Aichi–Nagoya 2026 is the 20th edition of the Asian Games, which will take place in Aichi Prefecture and Nagoya City, Japan.
Venue
Water Polo will be played in the official venue of the Aichi–Nagoya 2026 Asian Games, Nagoya City General Gymnasium (Rainbow Pool).
Medal Implications
October 2 has major significance for the outcome of the Water Polo tournament.
How to Watch
The Water Polo competition will be live broadcast by the official Asian Games broadcaster(s) and authorized digital streaming platforms for fans to follow.
Confirmed Draw & Schedule Update
Following the official team draw held on 23 July 2026 (AINAGOC), this date falls under: Men’s Classification / Placement Matches, held at Nippon Gaishi Hall Rainbow Pool, Nagoya.
Men’s Group A: Thailand, Kazakhstan, Japan (hosts), Hong Kong
Men’s Group B: South Korea, Iran, Singapore, China
Women’s Round-robin Pool: China, Japan (hosts), Kazakhstan, Singapore, Thailand, Uzbekistan
Note: AINAGOC has confirmed the groups and overall competition phase for this date, but has not published the exact match-by-match pairings and times for water polo. This section will be updated once the official fixture list is released. Source: Wikipedia / AINAGOC.