India would be aiming to better their 2022 show in Japan when the 20th edition of the continental showpiece kicks-off in Aichi-Nagoya on September 19. India has named a 508-strong contingent, across 35 sporting disciplines. India finished fourth in the medals tally in the 2022 edition in Hangzhou with 106 medals.
In Japan, India will have 272 male representations, while 236 are female. Sahdev Yadav has been appointed as the Chef de Mission for the Games. For India, athletics has the largest contingent with 79 athletes, followed hockey with 40. Cricket and shooting will have 30 each.
Although the Opening Ceremony is on September 19, several sports will start before the official kick-off date, which includes basketball.
Defending champions India will start their Asian Games 2026 campaign in the knockouts. While the Indian men start against Group A runners-up in the quarterfinal, the Women in Blue take on Japan in the last eight stage.
After a flop show in the recently-concluded FIH World Cup, the Indian men’s hockey are eyeing a Olympic berth in Japan. A winner’s medal would help the Indian team book their spot in the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.
Much like in the men’s competition, the Indian women’s hockey team would seal a LA 2028 berth if they go to win the Asian Games 2026. The Indian hockey team finished a creditable fifth in the FIH World Cup recently.
Having won both the men’s and women’s competitions in Hangzhou in the previous edition in 2022, the Indian kabaddi teams will be once again be favourites to top the podium. Notably, India are the most successful kabaddi national at Asian Games with 11 gold medals in men’s competition. The women have also won three gold medals.
PV Sindhu will lead India’s badminton contingent at the Asian Games 2026. Among other notable names are Lakshya Sen, HS Prannoy and Kidambi Srikanth. Expectations will also be on men’s doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty.
Shooting is one sport that will bring a major chunk of medals for India. In the previous edition, India won the second-highest medals in shooting, winning seven gold, nine silver and six bronze out of a total haul of 106 medals.
The injury to Neeraj Chopra came as a major blow to the Indian athletics, but a lot of expectations are from the track and field athletes in Japan. In the previous edition, India won 29 medals in athletics – most among disciplines.
Olympic medallist Lovlina Borgohain will lead India charge in boxing at the Asian Games 2026. With as many as 10 medals at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow a month back, the momentum is with Indian pugilists as they start their campaign on September 21.
Fresh after winning a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games 2026, Saikhom Mirabai Chanu will headline India’s weightlifting challenge at the Asian Games 2026.
The Asian Games 2026 Opening Ceremony will take place on September 19 at Paloma Mizuho Stadium in Nagoya, while the Closing Ceremony is scheduled for October 4 at the same venue.
