Asian Games 2026 India Schedule: Cricket, Kabaddi, Hockey & Key Events

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The Asian Games 2026 are set to be a major sporting event for India, with the country's athletes and teams competing across cricket, hockey, badminton, shooting, athletics, kabaddi, boxing, archery, wrestling, weightlifting and several other disciplines.

The 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, will see India's campaign begin on September 17 with teqball. A day later, the Indian women's cricket team will face Japan in the quarter-final, while Indian players will also begin their campaign in soft tennis.

For Indian sports fans, the final two weeks of September will be particularly important. Athletics will take centre stage from September 24 to 29, while cricket, badminton, hockey, kabaddi, shooting, boxing and wrestling will provide several medal opportunities.

Here is the complete India schedule for the Asian Games 2026, including the key sports and important dates to watch.

Asian Games 2026: When Will India’s Campaign Begin?

India's Asian Games campaign will officially begin on September 17, 2026, with teqball.

Indian players will compete in the men's doubles, women's singles and mixed doubles events. The action will then quickly shift towards major team sports, with the women's cricket team entering the knockout stage on September 18.

September 17: India Starts Asian Games 2026 Campaign With Teqball

The Indian contingent will begin its Asian Games campaign with teqball.

India will feature in:

• Men's doubles
• Women's singles
• Mixed doubles

Indian players will look to make a strong start before the focus moves towards cricket and other major sports.

September 18: India Women Face Japan in Cricket Quarter-Final

September 18 will be one of the first major days for Indian fans at the Asian Games 2026.

The Indian women's cricket team will face Japan in the quarter-final.

Alongside cricket, India will compete in soft tennis and teqball.

Key Indian Events

• Women's cricket - Quarter-final vs Japan
• Soft tennis - Men's team opening round
• Soft tennis - Men's team quarter-final, if qualified
• Teqball - Women's singles qualification
• Teqball - Mixed doubles qualification and repechage

September 19: Indian Teqball Players Eye a Place in the Finals

The focus will remain on teqball, with Indian players competing in the women's singles, mixed doubles and men's doubles semi-finals.

A strong performance could take Indian players closer to the medal rounds.

September 20: Women’s Cricket Semi-Final and Hockey Action

September 20 will be another busy day for the Indian contingent.

The Indian women's cricket team will play its semi-final, subject to qualification.

In hockey, India's men's team will face Indonesia, while the women's team will take on Uzbekistan.

Other Indian Events

• Shooting - Women's 10m air rifle
• Swimming - Men's 100m freestyle and 100m backstroke
• Table tennis - Men's and women's team group stage
• Teqball - Men's doubles, women's singles and mixed doubles finals
• Wushu - Multiple sanda and changquan events
• MMA - Men's 77kg and women's 60kg

September 21: India Take on Japan in Kabaddi, Badminton Also in Focus

India's men's badminton team will play its Round of 16 match.

Kabaddi will also attract attention, with the Indian men's team facing Japan and the women's team taking on Bangladesh.

The women's hockey team will meet Indonesia.

Shooting, boxing, rowing, swimming, table tennis, soft tennis and wushu will also feature Indian athletes.

September 22: India vs Sri Lanka Hockey and South Korea Kabaddi Clash

India's men's hockey team will face Sri Lanka, while the men's kabaddi team will take on South Korea.

Both Indian badminton teams will compete in their respective quarter-finals.

Other Sports in Action

• Boxing
• Shooting
• Rowing
• Swimming
• Table tennis
• Karate
• Wushu
• Equestrian
• Fencing
• MMA

September 23: Mirabai Chanu and India’s Weightlifting Medal Hopes

September 23 could be a major day for India's weightlifting campaign.

The Indian women's cricket team will also feature in the semi-final, subject to qualification. India's women's hockey team will play Thailand, while the men's and women's kabaddi teams will face Bangladesh and Iran respectively.

Indian Weightlifters to Watch

Mirabai Chanu will be one of the biggest names to watch as India looks for medals in weightlifting.

September 24: Athletics Begins as India Targets Multiple Medals

September 24 marks the beginning of a major athletics phase for India.

Several events will feature Indian athletes, including the men's 100m, men's high jump qualification, men's triple jump qualification and women's triple jump final.

The mixed 4x400m relay final and women's 10,000m final will also be important medal events.

Key Indian Events

• Athletics - Men's 100m
• Athletics - Women's triple jump final
• Athletics - Mixed 4x400m relay final
• Athletics - Women's 10,000m final
• Badminton - Men's and women's team finals
• Hockey - India vs Korea, men's pool
• Shooting - 10m air pistol events
• Table tennis
• Swimming
• Boxing
• Squash
• Wushu

September 25: Athletics Finals and India’s Kabaddi Knockout Push

Athletics will continue with several important events, including the men's 100m final, men's 10,000m final, women's shot put final and women's pole vault final.

India's women's hockey team will face Japan.

The men's and women's kabaddi teams will also target the semi-finals, subject to qualification.

September 26: Archery Begins as Indian Athletes Enter Medal Race

The archery competition will begin with recurve and compound events.

Athletics will feature the men's marathon final, decathlon events and several 200m and field-event competitions.

The women's 50m rifle 3-position final will be one of the key shooting events.

India's men's hockey team will face Japan.

Badminton, boxing, canoe/kayak, equestrian, fencing, squash, surfing and table tennis will also feature Indian participation.

September 27: Kabaddi Finals and Major Athletics Medal Events

September 27 could become a huge day for Indian kabaddi fans.

The men's and women's kabaddi finals are scheduled for this day, although India's participation will depend on qualification.

Athletics will also feature several medal events, including:

• Men's 200m final
• Women's 200m final
• Men's high jump final
• Women's long jump final
• Women's javelin throw final
• Women's 3000m steeplechase final

India will also compete in badminton, boxing, shooting, squash, tennis, archery and other sports.

September 28: India’s Men Face Crucial Cricket Quarter-Final

The Indian men's cricket team will play its quarter-final against the Group A runner-up, subject to qualification.

This will be one of the most-awaited days for Indian cricket fans at the Asian Games.

Athletics will also feature several finals, including the men's 1500m, men's 3000m steeplechase, men's long jump, men's javelin throw and women's 5000m.

India's badminton players will compete in the semi-finals, while the men's hockey team will face Bangladesh.

September 29: Badminton Finals and Major Athletics Medal Battles

September 29 will be one of the biggest days for Indian badminton.

The following finals are scheduled:

• Men's singles
• Women's singles
• Men's doubles
• Women's doubles
• Mixed doubles

Athletics will also feature the men's and women's 800m finals, men's 5000m final and the men's and women's 4x400m relay finals.

Several boxing semi-finals will be held, while India will also compete in shooting, track cycling, tennis, archery and volleyball.

September 30: Archery, Boxing and Wrestling Medal Action

September 30 will feature the compound archery medal rounds.

Several boxing semi-finals will also be held.

Wrestling will become another major medal sport, with men's Greco-Roman 67kg and 87kg and women's 68kg competitions scheduled.

India could also feature in the women's hockey semi-final or classification match, depending on qualification.

Golf, judo, sport climbing, tennis and track cycling will also have Indian participation.

October 1: India’s Men Eye Cricket Final After Semi-Final

October 1 could be another major day for Indian cricket.

If India qualifies, the men's cricket team will play its Asian Games 2026 semi-final.

The men's hockey team could also feature in a semi-final or classification match.

Other Important Events

• Shooting - Men's 25m rapid-fire pistol
• Wrestling - Men's Greco-Roman 60kg
• Wrestling - Men's Greco-Roman 77kg
• Wrestling - Men's Greco-Roman 97kg
• Wrestling - Women's 62kg
• Tennis - Quarter-finals
• Golf
• Judo
• Taekwondo
• Volleyball

October 2: Boxing Finals and Wrestling Medal Showdowns

October 2 will be particularly important for Indian boxing.

Finals are scheduled across multiple men's and women's weight categories.

Boxing Finals

Men: 55kg, 60kg, 70kg, 80kg, 90kg and +90kg

Women: 51kg, 54kg, 60kg, 65kg and 75kg

India will also compete in recurve archery medal rounds.

In wrestling, Indian athletes will compete in men's 65kg and 125kg freestyle and women's 50kg and 76kg.

The men's and women's squash teams will also compete in their respective finals.

October 3: Cricket and Hockey Medal Matches on Final Day

October 3 could be a huge day for Indian sport.

The men's cricket team is scheduled to play the bronze-medal match or final, depending on its qualification and semi-final result.

India's men's hockey team could also compete in a medal or classification match.

Tennis will feature the men's singles, men's doubles and women's doubles finals.

Wrestling will have several medal bouts, including:

• Men's freestyle 57kg
• Men's freestyle 74kg
• Men's freestyle 97kg
• Women's freestyle 53kg
• Women's freestyle 57kg

Asian Games 2026: India’s Biggest Medal Hopes

India will enter the Asian Games 2026 with medal ambitions across a wide range of sports.

Athletics Could Become a Major Medal Contributor

With a packed schedule from September 24 to 29, athletics could contribute several medals to India's tally.

Shooting Remains a Key Medal Sport for India

Shooting remains one of India's important medal sports, with rifle, pistol and skeet events spread across the Games.

Badminton Stars Look to Deliver Big Medals

The team events and individual competitions will provide several opportunities for Indian shuttlers, with the major individual finals scheduled for September 29.

Boxing Offers Multiple Medal Opportunities

With a large number of weight categories reaching the medal stage, boxing could become another important source of medals for India.

Wrestling Team Targets Podium Finishes

Indian wrestlers will compete across Greco-Roman and freestyle categories, with several medal bouts scheduled during the final week.

Archery Brings More Medal Chances

Both recurve and compound events will provide Indian archers with opportunities to challenge for medals.

Mirabai Chanu Leads India’s Weightlifting Hopes

Mirabai Chanu and other Indian lifters will be among the athletes attracting significant attention during the Games.

Hockey and Kabaddi Teams Eye Asian Games Glory

India's men's and women's hockey and kabaddi teams will look to turn their strong record in Asian competition into medals at Aichi-Nagoya.

Asian Games 2026 India Schedule: Key Dates to Remember

Which Sports Are India’s Biggest Medal Hopes?

India will have strong medal expectations across athletics, shooting, badminton, boxing, wrestling, archery, weightlifting, hockey and kabaddi.

Cricket will also attract significant attention. The women's team will begin its knockout campaign early in the Games, while the men's team is scheduled to play its quarter-final on September 28, subject to qualification.

Weightlifting will be closely watched, with Mirabai Chanu among India's biggest names. Indian athletes in shooting, badminton, wrestling and archery will also look to add to the country's medal tally.

Asian Games 2026: Final Takeaway for Indian Fans

The Asian Games 2026 India schedule is packed with high-profile contests and potential medal opportunities. India's campaign begins with teqball on September 17 before cricket, hockey, badminton, kabaddi and shooting take centre stage.

The period from September 24 to 29 will be especially important because of the large number of athletics and badminton medal events. The final week will then bring major action in archery, boxing, wrestling, cricket, hockey and other sports.

For Indian fans, the biggest dates to mark are September 18 for women's cricket, September 23 for weightlifting, September 28 for men's cricket, September 29 for badminton finals, October 2 for boxing finals and October 3 for cricket and hockey medal matches.

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