Sanya Mayor Chen Xi introduces the mascot of the Asian Beach Games at a press conference on January 12, 2026 in Beijing. Photo: VCG

The sixth Asian Beach Games will be held in Sanya, South China's Hainan Province, from April 22 to 30, 2026, with preparations entering the final 100-day countdown, officials said Monday at a press conference.

Li Jing, vice chairman of the Asian Beach Games organizing committee and deputy director of the General Administration of Sport of China, said the Sanya Games will be China's second time hosting the Asian Beach Games, following Haiyang in East China's Shandong Province in 2012.

"The Asian Beach Games is the highest-level beach sports event in Asia," Li said. "Successfully hosting the Sanya Asian Beach Games is of great significance for comprehensively showcasing new achievements in Chinese modernization, new progress in building a strong sports nation, and new outcomes of the Hainan Free Trade Port."

According to Li, the Games will feature 14 sports, 15 disciplines and 63 events, including Olympic and Asian Games staples such as swimming and sailing, as well as emerging sports including teqball and beach kabaddi. Competition venues will be organized into eight venue clusters, each supported by a dedicated operations team composed of experienced professionals from both the national and provincial levels.

A total of 3,798 athletes from 45 Asian countries and regions have completed initial registration, Li said. Test events for sports including sailing, beach volleyball, teqball and aquathlon will begin from January 16 to assess venue operations, equipment, logistical support and emergency response systems.

The Chinese delegation is expected to send about 190 athletes to compete in 13 sports and 61 events, excluding beach kabaddi. Li noted that events such as beach volleyball, climbing, 3x3 basketball, swimming and sailing will serve as valuable competition opportunities in preparation for the Los Angeles Olympics.

"The Games will play an important role in discovering talent, training teams and testing preparation results," Li said. He added that China aims to build on strong performances in Asian Games gold-medal sports such as dragon boat racing, beach athletics and beach handball, while encouraging broader participation in newer sports like jujitsu and teqball.

Hainan Vice Governor Xie Jing, also a vice chair of the organizing committee, said the event will be the first major international multi-sport competition held after the island-wide special customs operation of the Hainan Free Trade Port.

"The Games shoulder the important mission of showcasing the achievements of the Free Trade Port and strengthening the cultural foundation for building a community with a shared future for Asia," Xie said.

More than 5,000 volunteers have been recruited and trained, Xie said, while electronic ticketing and paperless operations will be fully implemented.

"We aim to showcase a warm, open and inclusive image of Hainan through professional and thoughtful services," she said.