Hangzhou 2022 was originally due to be held last year, but is now scheduled to start on September 23 this year following an easing of COVID-19 restrictions in China.

A 40-minute parade of athletes for the 45 National Olympic Committees is expected to start the Opening Ceremony, followed by formal proceedings and then a 45-minute cultural performance.

A Closing Ceremony of 80 minutes is planned on October 8, including the handover to Aichi-Nagoya 2026.

Details have also been provided for the Torch Relay, with the flame due to be lit on June 15, 100 days before the start of the Asian Games at the Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City, a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization World Heritage Site.

A total of 2,022 torch bearers are expected to carry the baton, with the relay route still to be finalised.

An Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) Coordination Committee meeting has been held in Hangzhou, in which director general Husain Al-Musallam praised organisers for their resilience.

"On behalf of the Olympic Movement in Asia and the Coordination Committee members, I would like to put our deep appreciation on the record for the hard work of the team that I see here during the difficult two and a half years of the pandemic," Al-Musallam said.

"Our last coordination meeting was held about three years ago but yesterday, on our visit to the Athletes’ Village, Media Village and Technical Officials’ Village, it makes us confident that the 19^th Asian Games are going on the right track.

"In all the history of the Asian Games and maybe even the Olympic Games, there is no Athletes’ Village combining the three sectors of athletes, media and technical officials.

"This is a positive step for the future and illustrates the fantastic growth of the Asian Games."

Al-Musallam reserved particular praise for the Athletes' Village when asked for his assessment on preparations by insidethegames at the OCA Athletes' Forum here, and said the city is well set to stage the Asian Games.

"I am very, very, very satisfied," he added.

"The city is ready now, the sport infrastructure is ready, the accommodation is ready, the Athletes' Village is ready.

"The legacy of the Athletes' Village is three different zones - one zone for the athletes, one zone for the media, one zone for the officials.

"That makes life easy during the operation of the Games and will connect everybody together, and this will improve the image, the work and the result for the Asian Games."

OCA Asian Games director Haider Farman said that Hangzhou would provide "we believe, the best ever Athletes’ Village, not only in Asian Games history but also in the Olympic Games", pointing to the size of apartments, room layout, the number of beds per room, spacious living room area and apartments reserved for Chefs de Mission.

The main Asian Games Village is expected to accommodate more than 10,000 athletes and officials, 5,000 medial personnel and 4,000 technical officials.

There are an additional five sub-villages throughout Zhejiang province.

Chinese Olympic Committee vice-president Yang Shu’an added that preparations for the Games are progressing well.

"We have full confidence to press ahead in a smooth and coordinated manner," he said.

"The Chinese Olympic Committee will stand step by step with our Hangzhou friends to offer all support."

A total of 482 medal events in 40 sports representing 61 disciplines are due to be held at the Asian Games, and the OCA last year approved changes to seek a reduction in the size of the multi-sport event.