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Asian Games 2026 Esports: Esports is set to return to the Asian Games as part of the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 edition in Japan. The esports competition will be held from September 23 to October 2, with 13 game titles being contested across 11 medal events.
India will also feature in the esports programme, with a 15-member contingent competing across four titles - League of Legends, Pokémon UNITE, Puyo Puyo Champions and eFootball.
Asian Games 2026 Esports Begins September 23: Full Details
Esports has become an important part of the Asian Games in recent editions. It first featured at the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Asian Games as a demonstration sport before becoming an official medal sport at the Hangzhou edition, which was held in 2023.
At the previous edition, seven esports medal events were contested. The games included Arena of Valor Asian Games Version, DOTA 2, Dream Three Kingdoms 2, FIFA Online 4, League of Legends, PUBG and Street Fighter V: Champion Edition.
India competed in four esports titles at the previous edition - League of Legends, DOTA 2, EAFC and Street Fighter V: Champion Edition. The Indian League of Legends team reached the quarter-finals.
For Aichi-Nagoya 2026, the esports programme features a broader selection of popular competitive games from different genres.
13 Esports Games Confirmed for Asian Games 2026: Full List
The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) has included 13 esports game titles across 11 medal events for the 2026 Asian Games.
The confirmed titles are:
- Street Fighter 6
- Tekken 8
- The King of Fighters XV
- League of Legends
- Honor of Kings
- Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB)
- Pokémon UNITE
- PUBG Mobile
- eFootball
- Gran Turismo 7
- Puyo Puyo Champions
- Naraka: Bladepoint
- Identity V
Some games will be grouped into the same medal event, while titles such as League of Legends and Pokémon UNITE will have separate competitions.
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Asian Games 2026 Esports Schedule: Dates, Games and Participants
The esports action will begin on September 23 with eFootball and Gran Turismo 7. Naraka: Bladepoint will also begin its competition on the same day.
| Esports Game | Dates | Teams/Participants |
|---|---|---|
| eFootball | September 23 | 24 |
| Gran Turismo 7 | September 23 | 16 |
| Naraka: Bladepoint | September 23-24 | 8 |
| Street Fighter 6, Tekken 8 & The King of Fighters XV | September 25-26 | 14 |
| Puyo Puyo Champions | September 27 | 12 |
| Pokémon UNITE | September 27 | 11 |
| Honor of Kings | September 27-28 | 11 |
| PUBG Mobile | September 28-29 | 12 |
| Identity V | September 28-30 | 10 |
| League of Legends | September 29-October 2 | 8 |
| Mobile Legends: Bang Bang | October 1 | 11 |
India's 15-Member Esports Squad for Asian Games 2026
India will participate in four esports titles at the 2026 Asian Games. The country has sent a 15-member esports contingent to Japan.
Indian players will compete in:
- League of Legends
- Pokémon UNITE
- Puyo Puyo Champions
- eFootball
India's League of Legends Team at Asian Games 2026
India's League of Legends squad consists of six players, with Akshaj Shenoy serving as captain.
- Rahul Bisht
- Ahmed Shahid Israr
- Mihir Ranjan
- Sanindhya Malik
- Aakash Shandilya
- Akshaj Shenoy - Captain
The League of Legends Asian Games 2026 event is scheduled from September 29 to October 2.
India's Pokémon UNITE Squad for Asian Games 2026
India will also compete in Pokémon UNITE with a six-member squad. Adnan Mohammed Badshah will lead the team as captain.
- Sai Krishna Nalluri
- Adnan Mohammed Badshah - Captain
- Reuben Godfrey Fernandes
- Rudra Narayan Nayak
- Dipjyoti Laxman Nath
- Deepkumar Vipulbhai Patel
The Pokémon UNITE event is scheduled for September 27.
India's Puyo Puyo Champions Player at Asian Games 2026
India will have Paritosh representing the country in Puyo Puyo Champions.
The Puyo Puyo Champions competition is scheduled for September 27 as part of the Asian Games 2026 esports programme.
India's eFootball Players at Asian Games 2026
India's eFootball representation includes two players:
- Chinmay Sahoo
- Danial Shakeel Patel
The eFootball Asian Games 2026 event will kick off the esports competition on September 23.
When Will India's Esports Campaign Begin at Asian Games 2026?
India's esports campaign will begin on September 23 with eFootball, featuring Chinmay Sahoo and Danial Shakeel Patel.
The Indian contingent will then compete in Puyo Puyo Champions and Pokémon UNITE on September 27. The League of Legends campaign will begin on September 29 and continue until October 2.
India's Asian Games 2026 Esports Schedule
| Indian Game | Indian Representation | Competition Date |
|---|---|---|
| eFootball | Chinmay Sahoo, Danial Shakeel Patel | September 23 |
| Puyo Puyo Champions | Paritosh | September 27 |
| Pokémon UNITE | 6 players | September 27 |
| League of Legends | 6 players | September 29-October 2 |
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Asian Games 2026 Esports: Top Games and Events to Watch
The 2026 esports programme features games from several popular competitive genres. Fighting games such as Street Fighter 6, Tekken 8 and The King of Fighters XV will be part of the tournament, while MOBA titles include League of Legends, Honor of Kings and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang.
The programme also includes popular competitive titles such as PUBG Mobile, eFootball, Gran Turismo 7, Pokémon UNITE and Naraka: Bladepoint.
For Indian fans, the main focus will be on the four games featuring Indian players: eFootball, Puyo Puyo Champions, Pokémon UNITE and League of Legends.
Asian Games 2026 Esports: Key Details
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Event | Asian Games 2026 |
| Host | Aichi-Nagoya, Japan |
| Esports dates | September 23-October 2 |
| Total game titles | 13 |
| Medal events | 11 |
| India's esports contingent | 15 members |
| Games featuring India | 4 |
| Indian titles | League of Legends, Pokémon UNITE, Puyo Puyo Champions, eFootball |
Asian Games 2026 Esports: What to Expect
The return of esports will add a wide variety of competitive gaming events to the Asian Games 2026 programme. With 13 game titles spread across 11 medal events, the competition will feature everything from fighting and racing games to football, MOBA and battle royale titles.
India's 15-member contingent will compete across four games, with the country's esports campaign beginning on September 23 and continuing through the final League of Legends matches on October 2.
Also Read: VALORANT Champions 2026: Dates, Matches & Live Stream
