With less than two years until the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, the continental games cycle has begun in Asia. Japan hosted the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, bringing together around 11,000 athletes from 45 countries over 16 days. The event helped keep the Olympic spirit alive, as several venues from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics were reused, including the Izu velodrome and the Tokyo aquatic center. The games also featured some innovations, although the overall evaluation is not entirely positive. A total of 40 National Olympic Committees climbed onto the podium, and more than 50 world records were broken, showing the sporting strength of the Asian continent. Among the 43 sports and 71 disciplines in the program, eSport was included, a unique addition for continental games. With 11 games in competition—four more than at the Hangzhou 2022 edition—Asia reaffirmed its position as a leader in introducing new sports. These Asian Games were also the first to include padel and teqball, two sports that aim to gain Olympic recognition. Another new addition was MMA, whose inclusion was welcomed by the International Federation, according to a report. Aichi-Nagoya 2026 will also be remembered for its "floating village." The Costa Serena, a cruise ship, housed around 4,000 athletes and officials in the port of Nagoya. This choice was primarily economic, avoiding the need to build a new village from scratch, which could serve as a model for the future, according to the organizing committee. However, the ship did not win unanimous approval from those directly affected. Indian badminton player H.S. Prannoy expressed regret over the absence of a traditional village, which would have allowed more contact with other athletes. Some athletes were housed in hotels, and Prannoy described the experience as "mediocre" in terms of accommodation and transportation, noting the contrast with the previous edition in China. The president of the South Korean Olympic Committee, Ryu Seung-min, was equally critical, expressing concern over the impact on athletes: "If the lowest possible grade for the organizing committee is a C, I would give them a C. If it was possible to give them an F, I would give them an F." In another area, the competition was marred by eight positive doping tests, which is clearly not good news for the credibility of Asian sports. Husain Al Musallam, general director of the Asian Olympic Council, preferred to focus on the positives. He expressed being "very proud of the success" of the Games at all levels. The OCA reported satisfactory audiences and noted that revenue from marketing, sponsorship, and TV rights had increased by 19% compared to the Hangzhou 2022 edition. "We are happy to note that the organizing committee is not facing a heavy financial burden and that there are no white elephants in Nagoya or elsewhere," he added. The next edition is scheduled for Doha in 2030. Unless the event is moved to 2031, a year before the Olympics, to align Asia with the other continental games, discussions are ongoing, and the Qatari organizing committee has shown openness to this idea.