The 2026 Asian Games in Japan will have one of the largest esports programmes in the history of the event. 13 game titles have been confirmed for play as esports athletes from across the continent battle it out for medals.
India will compete in four titles with a 15-player contingent approved by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.
Here’s all the information on the esports events, list of games and India’s players for the Asian Games 2026.
Asian Games 2026 Esports: Dates and Venue
The 20 th Asian Games will be held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan from 19 th until 4 th October 2026.
The esports events are set to take place between 23 rd -2 nd October at Aichi Sky Expo in Tokoname, close to Chubu Centrair International Airport.
23 nations have entered the esports events at the Asian Games.
13 Esports Titles Confirmed for Asian Games 2026
The Olympic Council of Asia has approved 13 esports titles across 11 medal events.
The games on offer include popular PC, mobile and console titles as well as a combined fighting-game category.
Full List of Games
League of Legends
Honor of Kings
Mobile Legends: Bang Bang
Pokémon UNITE
PUBG Mobile (Asian Games Version)
eFootball
Gran Turismo 7
Puyo Puyo Champions
Naraka: Bladepoint
Identity V
Street Fighter 6
Tekken 8
The King of Fighters XV
Street Fighter 6, Tekken 8 and The King of Fighters XV will share a single medal event as the Competitive Martial Arts category.
Asian Games 2026 Esports Schedule
Here’s the competition schedule for the Asian Games esports events:
Game Dates
eFootball 23 rd September
Gran Turismo 7 23 rd September
Naraka: Bladepoint 23 rd -24 th September
Street Fighter 6, Tekken 8 and The King of Fighters XV 25 th -26 th September
Puyo Puyo Champions 27 th September
Pokémon UNITE 27 th September
Honor of Kings 27 th -28 th September
PUBG Mobile 28 th -29 th September
Identity V 28 th -30 th September
League of Legends 29 th September-2 nd October
Mobile Legends: Bang Bang 1 st October
League of Legends will continue until October 2, making it one of the last esports events to take place at the Asian Games.
India’s 15-Member Esports Squad for Asian Games 2026
India’s government approved esports team consists of competitors across four titles:
League of Legends
Pokémon UNITE
eFootball
Puyo Puyo Champions
The team was approved with a sanction order issued on 22 nd August 2026.
- League of Legends
India’s League of Legends squad includes the following players:
Player In-Game Name
Akshaj Shenoy Kat Bot
Aakash Shandilya Infi
Sanindhya Malik Deadcorporal
Mihir Ranjan Lotus
Ahmed Shahid Israr Nero
Rahul Bisht Bob
Akshaj Shenoy captains the team, which is affiliated with the S8UL Esports organisation.
Several of these players were also members of India’s 2023 Asian Games esports team.
The squad won their place at the Asian Games through the regional qualifier tournament after winning the national title.
- Pokémon UNITE
India’s 6-player Pokémon UNITE team consists of:
Adnan Mohammed Badshah – Captain
Reuben Godfrey Fernandes
Sai Krishna Nalluri
Dipjyoti Laxman Nath
Rudra Narayan Nayak
Deepkumar Vipulbhai Patel
The players are based in various locations across India including Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Gujarat.
- eFootball
India’s eFootball contingent includes two players:
Chinmay Sahoo
Danial Shakeel Patel
Patel has previous experience of international eFootball events, including the FIFAe World Cup eFootball Mobile.
- Puyo Puyo Champions
- Paritosh – Haryana
Paritosh qualified for the Asian Games by winning a lower-bracket match against high-placed competitor Tirth Mehta at the National Esports Championships 2026.
Why PUBG Mobile and Mobile Legends Are Missing from India’s Squad
India’s esports teams for PUBG Mobile and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang have not been chosen for the Asian Games.
Selection for these titles is directly related to the availability of suitable versions of the games.
BGMI is a completely separate game to PUBG Mobile Asian Games Version.
How Did India Do at the 2023 Asian Games?
India fielded esports teams at the Hangzhou Asian Games 2023, competing across multiple titles.
A League of Legends team reached the quarterfinals and finished in a tie for fifth place, India’s best result at the event.
Selection Dispute Reaches Delhi High Court
As preparations for the Asian Games continue, a court case has erupted regarding the selection process for India’s esports teams.
The E Sports Games Federation has filed a petition at the Delhi High Court, challenging the authority of the Esports Federation of India (ESFI) to select and nominate esports athletes for the Asian Games.
The petition seeks clarification from the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and the Indian Olympic Association on the legal standing of ESFI selection processes.
A procedural order has been issued by the court, but no definitive statement on ESFI’s authority has been made public.
What’s Next for Indian Esports?
India’s esports teams will compete across four titles at the Asian Games 2026.
With high-profile League of Legends players returning and new teams formed for Pokémon UNITE, eFootball and Puyo Puyo Champions, there are plenty of players for Indian esports fans to cheer for.
The esports events get underway on 23 rd September, with the final matches due to take place on 2 nd October.
