Watch an Asian Games live stream
The Asian Games are being broadcast all across the continent. It's available on the Sony Sports Network and Sony LIV in India and TBS in Japan, with FREE streams on CCTV in China and mewatch.sg in Singapore. The SBS network in Australia also has some free coverage each day, but sport fans in countries like the US and UK don't have a domestic broadcaster attached. Looking to watch your home live stream when out of the country, then that's where using a VPN could help you watch from anywhere.
| Asian Games dates: September 23 - October 8 |
| Watch FREE: CCTV (CHN) | Channel 5/mewatch (SNG) | SBS (AUS) |
| Use ExpressVPN to watch overseas |
19th Asian Games: preview
A year after it was supposed to take place, the 19th Asian Games is taking place with the Chinese city of Hangzhou hosting the continent's biggest sporting stars from 45 countries in 2023, and we're now into the second and final week.
In one way, you can think of the Asian Games as a trial run for next year's Olympic Games in Paris. In addition to winning a major medal in their own right, athletes will have one eye on preparing themselves for the 'big one' next year.
But that rather reductive approach would only belie the unique character of the Asian Games. In addition to many of the sports you'd expect (athletics, swimming, cycling, boxing, etc), there are plenty that you may never have even heard of and are unique to the region.
Dragon Boat, Kabbadi, Wushu and a series of other martial arts are all established events here, and that's before you get to the 'mind sports' that include the likes of bridge, chess and esports. And with it set to make its debut in Paris next summer, breakdancing has also been added to the schedule at Hangzhou 2022.
The fortnight of sports has something for everybody, so you may need a few hints and tips for keeping up with the coverage. Thankfully, this guide explains how to watch Asian Games live streams online from wherever you are - including for FREE - together with a schedule of events and which ones to look out for today.
Asian Games 2022 ones to watch - Thursday, October 5
Now into the second week of the 2022 Asian Games, the gold rush continues.
With just the marathon races left to run in the athletics, Thursday is all about the business end of the badminton with quarterfinals aplenty. China and Japan meet in the final of the men's basketball late in the day or there's gold medal bouts in the men's and women's boxing at the same time. If that doesn't float your boat, then the canoeing and dragon boating surely will.
It's also a day for the martial arts with early rounds of the ju-jitsu, karate and sepaktakraw. Cycling fans can tune into the road race and there'll be more breathless action in the singles squash finals.
For some action you can't get anywhere else, though, don't miss the roller skating, chess, bridge and kabaddi.
FREE Asian Games live streams
Where to find FREE Asian Games live streams
As the Asian Games 2023 host country, it's no great surprise that China's national broadcaster CCTV is showing the sport for FREE. That also means it's available online on the network's website.
In Singapore, free-to-air Channel 5 is also showing this year's Asian Games, with FREE live streams, highlights and on-demand coverage available on mewatch.
Off the continent, sports fans in Australia also have access to some FREE Asian Games coverage, with SBS Viceland and SBS On Demand showing daily events, We have more details on what they're showing below.
Traveling overseas? If you find that your usual domestic coverage is blocked when you go to watch on line, you could try a VPN to unblock your usual stream.
How to watch Asian Games from outside your country
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the Asian Games isn't broadcast all over the world. And if you're travelling away from a country that normally would be showing it, you'll likely find that your stream is blocked from being shown.
By downloading and installing a VPN, you can effectively trick your computer into thinking that it's back at home. That way you should be able to enjoy your home coverage without having to find an illegal stream - assuming you comply with the broadcaster's terms and conditions of course.
Use a VPN to watch sport from anywhere:
Global Asian Games live streams
How to watch Asian Games: in India
- The best data plans to catch all the live action (India-only)
How to live stream Asian Games in Australia for FREE
Can I watch the Asian Games in other countries?
If you're in a sport-mad country around the world like the US, UK or Canada, you'd probably expect the Asian Games to be showing somewhere. Unfortunately, it doesn't look as though any of those territories will be showing it.
As explained above, if you're normally the resident of Australia or an Asian country that does carry streams of the Asian Games, then there's the option to install a VPN, choose a server from back home and watch as if you were back at home.
Asian Games 2023 schedule
Opening Ceremony: September 23
Aquatics
Artistic Swimming: October 6-8
Diving: September 30 –October 4
Marathon Swimming: October 6-7
Swimming: September 24–29
Water Polo: September 25 – October 7
Archery: October 1–7
Athletics: September 29 – October 5
Badminton: September 28 - October 7
Baseball/Softball
Baseball: September 26 – October 7
Softball: September 26 – October 2
Basketball
3X3: September 25 – October 1
Basketball: September 26 – October 6
Boxing: September 24 – October 5
Breaking: October 6–7
Canoe/Kayak
Slalom: October 5–7
Sprint: September 30 – October 3
Cricket
Women's: September 19-25
Men: September 27 - October 7
Cycling
BMX Racing: October 1
Mountain Bike: September 25
Road: October 3–5
Track: September 26–29
Dragon Boat: October 4–6
Equestrian: September 26 – October 6
Fencing: September 24–29
Football: September 19 – October 7
Golf: September 28 – October 1
Gymnastics
Artistic Gymnastics: September 24–29
Rhythmic Gymnastics: October 6–7
Trampoline Gymnastics: October 2–3
Handball: September 24 – October 5
Hockey: September 24 – October 7
Judo: September 24–27
Kabbadi: October 2–7
Martial Arts
Ju-jitsu: October 5–7
Karate: October 5–8
Kurash: September 30 – October 2
Mind Sports
Bridge: September 27 – October 6
Chess: September 24 – October 7
Esports: September 24 – October 2
Go: September 24 – October 3
Xiangqi: September 28 – October 7
Modern Pentathlon: September 20–24
Roller Sports
Roller Skating: September 30 – October 7
Skateboarding: September 24–27
Rowing: September 20–25
Rugby Sevens: September 24–26
Sailing: September 21–27
Sepaktakraw: September 24 – October 7
Shooting: September 24 – October 1
Soft Tennis: October 3–7
Sport Climbing: October 3–7
Squash: September 26 – October 5
Table tennis: September 22 – October 2
Taekwondo: September 24–28
Tennis: September 24–30
Triathlon: September 29 – October 2
Volleyball
Beach Volleyball: September 19–28
Men's Volleyball: September 19–26
Women's Volleyball: September 30 – October 7
Weightlifting: September 30 – October 7
Wrestling: October 4–7
Wushu: September 24–28
Closing Ceremony: October 8
Who will host the 2023 Asian Games?
The Chinese city of Hangzhou in the Zhejiang province is hosting the Asian Games for the first time.
Hangzhou sits right on the eastern seaboard of the country, just under 200km south-west of Shanghai.
The events of this year's Asian Games will take place across 44 venues in Hangzhou, 14 of which have been newly constructed for the 2023 games.
Which country will host 2026 Asian Games?
In 2026 it will be Japan's turn to hold the Asian Games – it will be the third time they have done so, and the first in 32 years.
The city of Nagoya in the Aichi Prefecture will be the host.
Why is the Asian Games 2022 taking place in 2023?
Much like many other major sporting events, the 2022 iteration of the Asian Games was affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Due to Hangzhou's proximity to Shanghai, which was suffering from a massive outbreak and bound by strict restrictions, it was decided to postpone the event for a year.
What countries are participating in the Asian Games 2022?
Participants from 45 countries in total will compete in this year's games. They are:
- Afghanistan
- Bahrain
- Bangladesh
- Bhutan
- Brunei
- Cambodia
- China
- Hong Kong
- India
- Indonesia
- Iran
- Iraq
- Japan
- Jordan
- Kazakhstan
- Kuwait
- Kyrgyzstan
- Laos
- Lebanon
- Macau
- Malaysia
- Maldives
- Mongolia
- Myanmar
- Nepal
- North Korea
- Oman
- Pakistan
- Palestine
- Philippines
- Qatar
- Saudi Arabia
- Singapore
- South Korea
- Sri Lanka
- Syria
- Chinese Taipei
- Tajikistan
- Thailand
- East Timor
- Turkmenistan
- United Arab Emirates
- Uzbekistan
- Vietnam
- Yemen
