The country will send 138 athletes to compete in 23 sports across the two Indonesian co-hosts, with the Opening Ceremony due on August 18.

"We are confident in the capabilities of our athletes," said UAE NOC President Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum at a press conference in Dubai today.

"It is a great opportunity for all athletes to provide their best and compete to achieve results and titles with the presence of nearly 10,000 from across the continent.

"We at the National Olympic Committee count on our athletes participating at the summit and boosting UAE in the overall ranking."

The UAE will compete in football, basketball, shooting, equestrian, athletics, judo, jujitsu, taekwondo, karate, wrestling, weightlifting, archery, fencing, cycling, golf, sailing, canoeing, table tennis, rugby sevens, jet ski, triathlon, swimming and bowling.

At the last Asian Games in Incheon in South Korea, the Gulf nation came home with one gold medal and three bronze.

The gold came courtesy of Alia Saeed Mohammed in the women's 10,000 metres.

Preparations for Jakarta Palembang 2018 have already hit a snag after the men's football team were mistakenly omitted from the draw for the competition, along with Palestine.

It led to them both being added to other groups at a later date.