Indian gamers will compete in League of Legends, Pokémon Unite, eFootball and Puyo Puyo Champions at the Asian Games in Japan
The Esports Federation of India (ESFI) has officially announced the 15 Indian esports athletes selected to represent the country at the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. The contingent will compete across four esports titles after receiving approval from the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) on August 22.
The Asian Games 2026 will take place from September 19 to October 4, while the esports competitions are scheduled between September 23 and October 2. India will be represented in League of Legends, Pokémon Unite, eFootball and Puyo Puyo Champions.
League of Legends Team Announced
India’s largest esports squad at the event will compete in League of Legends. The six-member roster includes Ahmed Shahid Israr from Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh; Rahul Bisht, Sanindhya Malik and Mihir Ranjan from Delhi; Aakash Shandilya from Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh; and Akshaj Shenoy from Ernakulam, Kerala.
Akshaj Shenoy has been named captain of the League of Legends team. The Indian squad earned its place at the Asian Games after delivering a strong performance during the regional qualifiers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
The League of Legends competition will be one of the final esports events at the tournament and is scheduled to conclude on October 2.
Two Players to Represent India in eFootball
India will field two athletes in the eFootball competition. Chinmay Sahoo from Jajpur, Odisha, and Danial Shakeel Patel from Mumbai, Maharashtra, have been selected to represent the nation.
The eFootball event will be among the first esports competitions to begin at the Asian Games 2026. It is scheduled to start on September 23 alongside the Gran Turismo 7 competition.
Paritosh to Compete in Puyo Puyo Champions
Paritosh from Rohtak, Haryana, will be India’s sole representative in Puyo Puyo Champions. The popular competitive puzzle game will be one of four titles in which India will participate at the upcoming Asian Games.
Pokémon Unite Team Completes Indian Contingent
The Indian Pokémon Unite team will be led by captain Adnan Mohammed Badshah from Dewas, Madhya Pradesh. The five other players in the squad are Reuben Godfrey Fernandes from Mira Bhayandar, Maharashtra; Sai Krishna Nalluri from Rajahmundry, Andhra Pradesh; Dipjyoti Laxman Nath from Thane, Maharashtra; Rudra Narayan Nayak from Bhubaneswar, Odisha; and Deepkumar Vipulbhai Patel from Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
With players coming from several different parts of the country, the 15-member contingent highlights the growing reach of competitive esports in India.
Important Moment for Indian Esports
The Asian Games 2026 will be another major international stage for Indian esports athletes. The selected players will compete against some of the strongest teams and individuals from across Asia, where countries such as China, South Korea, Japan and others have well-established esports ecosystems.
With official government approval now secured and the final roster announced, the Indian athletes can focus on their preparations for Aichi-Nagoya. Fans will be closely watching whether the country’s teams can produce memorable performances when the esports competitions begin on September 23.
