South Korea beats Japan in Asian Games basketball, baseball and football finals
In short
South Korea won the men's and women's basketball, baseball and men's football finals at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, with Dong-A Ilbo reporting that all of those finals were against host Japan. The baseball team beat Japan 3-1 on 27 September for a fifth straight title, the men's football team won 1-0 on 3 October for a fourth straight title, and both basketball teams took their first titles in 12 years. Newsis also reported men's 3x3 basketball gold, and Dong-A Ilbo reported women's handball gold.
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South Korea finished the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games with gold medals across the men's team ball sports, beating host Japan in the men's football, baseball and men's and women's basketball finals. Kukmin Ilbo's headline called the men's football title a fourth in a row and the closing highlight of the Games, and Newsis reported the same streak in its Asian Games round-up. Dong-A Ilbo reported that Japan's home advantage did not prevent the Korean wins, and that the football final against Japan was won 1-0 — Newsis said it was played on 3 October local time at Toyota Stadium in Aichi Prefecture. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
Baseball gave Korea a fifth consecutive title with a 3-1 win over Japan on 27 September at the Toyohashi citizens' stadium in Aichi Prefecture, according to Newsis. Dong-A Ilbo reported the victory avenged a 0-5 loss to Japan in the Super Round. Newsis identified Ryu Ji-hyun as the team's manager. [ 3 , 4 ]
In basketball, Korea beat Japan twice on the way to the men's title, first 100-83 in the group stage and then 67-57 in the 20 September final in Nagoya, where Lee Hyun-jung scored 27 points, Dong-A Ilbo reported, calling it the men's team's first title in 12 years. The women's team beat Japan 75-70 in the 26 September final for its own first title in 12 years, the newspaper said, giving Korea its first men's and women's double since the 2014 Incheon Asian Games. Newsis's captions place the men's gold medal ceremony on 20 September and the women's final on 26 September at the Aichi International Arena in Nagoya. [ 3 , 4 ]
Newsis also reported that Korea won the men's 3x3 basketball final on 25 September, beating Qatar at a special court at the Kinjofuto station plaza in Nagoya, and described a basketball “triple crown”. Dong-A Ilbo reported that the women's handball team beat Japan in the last match of its full league, which served as the gold medal decider, to finish on top in Asia. [ 3 , 4 ]
Why it matters
The results amount to a sweep of the men's team ball-sport finals against the host nation, which the Korean outlets framed as notable given Japan's home advantage. Dong-A Ilbo reported that the basketball titles restore Korea's men's and women's crowns for the first time since the 2014 Incheon Games. The documents give no further consequences beyond the competition.
Key facts
- South Korea beat host Japan in the men's football final at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, a fourth consecutive title. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
- Newsis reported the football final was played on 3 October local time at Toyota Stadium in Aichi Prefecture and ended 1-0. [ 3 ]
- South Korea won the baseball final against Japan for a fifth consecutive title; Newsis reported a 3-1 win on 27 September and Dong-A Ilbo reported it avenged a 0-5 Super Round loss to Japan. [ 3 , 4 ]
- The men's basketball team beat Japan 67-57 in the final on 20 September, with Lee Hyun-jung scoring 27 points, for a first title in 12 years, according to Dong-A Ilbo. [ 3 , 4 ]
- The women's basketball team beat Japan 75-70 on 26 September for a first title in 12 years; Dong-A Ilbo said it was Korea's first men's and women's double since the 2014 Incheon Games. [ 3 , 4 ]
- Newsis reported Korea also won men's 3x3 basketball, beating Qatar in the 25 September final in Nagoya. [ 3 ]
- Dong-A Ilbo reported the women's handball team beat Japan in the final match of the full league to win gold. [ 4 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- South Korea beat Japan in the men's football final of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games for a fourth consecutive title. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
- South Korea won the baseball final against Japan for a fifth consecutive title. [ 3 , 4 ]
- The men's basketball team beat Japan 67-57 in the final on 20 September, with Lee Hyun-jung scoring 27 points, for a first title in 12 years. [ 3 , 4 ]
- The women's basketball team beat Japan 75-70 in the final on 26 September for a first title in 12 years. [ 3 , 4 ]
- The medals were won at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games held in Japan. [ 3 , 4 ]
Still unclear
- South Korea won the women's handball gold by beating Japan in the final match of the full league. Reported only by Dong-A Ilbo; the other documents in the set do not mention handball.
- South Korea won the men's 3x3 basketball final against Qatar on 25 September in Nagoya. Reported only by Newsis; the other documents do not mention the 3x3 event.
- Further results and details from the Korean team's Asian Games campaign. The Dong-A Ilbo text available ends mid-sentence, so its account is incomplete, and Kukmin Ilbo provided only a headline with no article or summary.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Men's basketball final in Nagoya: South Korea beats Japan 67-57, with Lee Hyun-jung scoring 27 points, for a first title in 12 years; the gold medal ceremony is held at the Aichi International Arena. [ 3 , 4 ]
- Men's 3x3 basketball final: South Korea beats Qatar at a special court at the Kinjofuto station plaza in Nagoya. [ 3 ]
- Women's basketball final at the Aichi International Arena in Nagoya: South Korea beats Japan 75-70 for a first title in 12 years. [ 3 , 4 ]
- Baseball final at Toyohashi citizens' stadium: South Korea beats Japan 3-1 for a fifth consecutive title. [ 3 , 4 ]
- Men's football final at Toyota Stadium in Aichi Prefecture: South Korea beats Japan 1-0 for a fourth consecutive title. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
- Kukmin Ilbo publishes its report on the football title and the team ball-sport results. [ 1 ]
- Newsis publishes its Asian Games round-up of the ball-sport medals. [ 3 ]
- Dong-A Ilbo publishes its report on the wins over Japan, including basketball and handball. [ 4 ]