The selected titles span across mobile, PC, and console platforms, with the full list as follows:
- Street Fighter 6
- Pokemon Unite
- Honor of Kings
- League of Legends (Asian Games Version)
- PUBG (Asian Games Version)
- Mobile Legends: Bang Bang
- Dreams of 3 Kingdoms
- Naroka: Bladepoint
- Grand Turismo (7)
- Efootball Series
- Puyo Puyo ChampionsAfter being included as a demonstration event at the 2018 Asian Games, e-sports became an official medal sport at the 2022 Hangzhou edition. That edition featured seven esports titles, with India competing in four – League of Legends, DOTA 2, EAFC, and Street Fighter V: Champion Edition.In place of EAFC, the 2026 Asian Games will feature e-Football, a title in which India’s Pavan Kampelli recently won a bronze medal at the Asian E-sports Games in Bangkok. Indian players have also been consistently competing at international tournaments such as the Global E-sports Games, making e-Football a promising avenue for aspiring athletes.
Given India’s dominance in mobile gaming and e-Football’s free-to-play model, the title holds immense potential for grassroots e-sports growth. Recently, NODWIN Gaming, a leader in youth entertainment and gaming, partnered with KONAMI, the game’s official publisher, to host a special influencer tournament and also include the title at DreamHack Hyderabad.
Akshat Rathee, co-founder and MD, NODWIN Gaming, says, “The e-sports lineup for the 2026 Asian Games presents an interesting mix of titles across genres like strategy, action and sports simulation . The continued involvement of Olympic bodies in e-sports, from the Asian Games to the upcoming Olympic E-sports Games in 2027, is a healthy signal for the industry. These are exciting times for e-sports and initiatives like these provide structured opportunities for players to compete at the highest level, just like traditional sports. NODWIN Gaming remains committed to building a strong competitive ecosystem that helps Indian players prepare for and excel in these international events.”
Animesh Agarwal, co-founder, S8UL E-sports believes that the inclusion of 11 e-sports titles at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games is a massive leap forward for the ecosystem, not just in Asia but especially for India.“With titles like Pokémon Unite, where Indian teams, including S8UL, have made their mark on the world stage multiple times, and e-Football, in which India recently clinched a bronze at the Asian E-sports Games, this expansion presents a huge opportunity for Indian athletes to shine. We have already seen the impact of titles like League of Legends and Street Fighter 6 in the last edition, and this growing recognition of e-sports at multi-sports international events has become the aspiration of countless Indian players. We at S8UL are excited to support and witness the next generation of champions emerge on this grand stage,” Agarwal said.Alongside e-Football, another mobile e-sports title where India has made its mark is Pokémon UNITE. Indian teams have consistently participated in the Pokémon UNITE World Championship, with S8UL, the country’s leading gaming and e-sports organisation, qualifying to represent India on the global stage last year. With the title now part of the Asian Games, Indian teams including S8UL will have their sights set on achieving glory at the prestigious event.Despite India’s dominance in mobile gaming, the country’s best performance at the Hangzhou Asian Games came in League of Legends, a PC title, where the national team reached the quarterfinals. With League of Legends returning for the 2026 edition, India’s PC e-sports athletes will once again be expected to deliver strong performances.
First Published: Feb 22, 2025 10:51 AM IST
