Asian Games 2026 Esports: Schedule, Games, Teams & How to Watch

Esports returns as a full medal sport at the 20th Asian Games in Aichi–Nagoya, Japan, and it’s bigger than ever — 11 titles, 11 gold medals, staged at Aichi Sky Expo from September 22 to October 2, 2026. This is your hub for the complete esports line-up: the games, the schedule, the qualified nations, and how to follow it all.

Esports Gold Medallists

Winners will be listed here as each title is decided (🥇).

  • No medals yet — esports runs September 22 – October 2, 2026.

Esports at a glance

Titles11 games · 11 gold medals
VenueAichi Sky Expo, Nagoya, Aichi
DatesSeptember 22 – October 2, 2026
FormatMix of direct invitations and regional qualifiers
DebutedEsports was a medal sport at Hangzhou 2023 (then 7 titles)

Esports first appeared as a medal event at Hangzhou 2023 with seven titles; Aichi–Nagoya 2026 expands that to eleven, leaning heavily into mobile and cross-platform games that dominate Asian audiences.

The 11 medal events (13 titles)

The confirmed line-up spans PC, console and mobile — with mobile giants like Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, PUBG Mobile and Honor of Kings front and centre.

#Event / titleCategoryPlatformPlayers
1Competitive Martial Arts — Street Fighter 6, TEKKEN 8, The King of Fighters XVFighting (team)PC3 (one per title)
2Pokémon UNITEMOBANintendo Switch6 (team)
3Honor of KingsMOBAMobile5 (team)
4League of LegendsMOBAPC5 (team)
5Mobile Legends: Bang BangMOBAMobile5 (team)
6PUBG MOBILE – Asian Games VersionBattle royaleMobile5 (team)
7Identity V – Asian Games Version1v4 asymmetrical survivalMobile7 (team)
8NARAKA: BLADEPOINTAction-adventure / battle royalePCTeam
9Gran Turismo 7Auto racingPlayStation 51 (single)
10eFootballFootballPC + Mobile2 (one per platform)
11Puyo Puyo ChampionsPuzzlePC1 (single)

Note: The three fighting games (Street Fighter 6, Tekken 8, The King of Fighters XV) make up a single “Competitive Martial Arts” team event awarding one gold medal. That’s why there are 13 game titles but only 11 medal events / 11 golds.

Esports schedule

All games run at Aichi Sky Expo.

Date (2026)TitleTeams
Sep 22Football [eFootball™]
Auto Racing [Gran Turismo 7]
25
Sep 23Football [eFootball™]
Auto Racing [Gran Turismo 7]
Action-adventure / Battle Royale [NARAKA : BLADEPOINT]
Fighting Games [Street Fighter 6, TEKKEN™ 8, THE KING OF FIGHTERS XV]
16
Sep 24Fighting Games [Street Fighter 6, TEKKEN™ 8, THE KING OF FIGHTERS XV]
Puzzle [Puyo Puyo Champions]
8
Sep 25MOBA [Pokémon UNITE]15
Sep 26Puzzle [Puyo Puyo Champions]
MOBA [Pokémon UNITE]
12
Sep 27MOBA [Pokémon UNITE]
MOBA [Honor of Kings]
10
Sep 28MOBA [Honor of Kings]
1v4 asymmetrical survival game [Identity V – Asian Games Version]
Battle Royale [PUBG MOBILE – Asian Games Version]
11
Sep 29MOBA [League of Legends]
MOBA [Mobile Legends: Bang Bang]
1v4 asymmetrical survival game [Identity V – Asian Games Version]
Battle Royale [PUBG MOBILE – Asian Games Version]
12
Sep 301v4 asymmetrical survival game [Identity V – Asian Games Version]
MOBA [League of Legends]
MOBA [Mobile Legends: Bang Bang]
10
Oct 1MOBA [League of Legends]
MOBA [Mobile Legends: Bang Bang]
11
Oct 2MOBA [League of Legends]8

Format notes: eFootball is a team event pairing one Mobile player and one PC player per nation. Competitive Martial Arts awards a single medal to a three-game team (one player each for Street Fighter 6, Tekken 8 and The King of Fighters XV).

Qualified nations

Around 25 nations are set to compete across the eleven titles, some by direct invitation and others through qualifiers. Several spots are still to be confirmed, and the qualified line-ups for eFootball, Gran Turismo 7, Competitive Martial Arts and Puyo Puyo Champions are still being finalised.

NationTitles qualifiedGames
Indonesia34
Kazakhstan25
Japan25
China23
Saudi Arabia18
India15
Jordan13
United Arab Emirates13
Hong Kong, China43Naraka, Pokémon UNITE, Honor of Kings, Identity V, MLBB, LoL
Pakistan8
Bahrain6
Chinese Taipei5Naraka, Pokémon UNITE, PUBG Mobile, Identity V, LoL
Malaysia5Naraka, Honor of Kings, Identity V, MLBB, LoL
Philippines5Naraka, Pokémon UNITE, Honor of Kings, Identity V, MLBB
South Korea5Pokémon UNITE, Honor of Kings, PUBG Mobile, Identity V, LoL
Vietnam5Naraka, Honor of Kings, PUBG Mobile, Identity V, LoL
Thailand4Naraka, Honor of Kings, PUBG Mobile, Identity V
Japan3Pokémon UNITE, PUBG Mobile, Identity V
Myanmar3Honor of Kings, PUBG Mobile, MLBB
Tajikistan3

Storylines to watch

  • Host nation Japan sits some events out. Invited across all eleven titles as hosts, Japan withdrew from several — including League of Legends — and isn’t fielding teams in MLBB, Honor of Kings or Naraka: Bladepoint.
  • China skips League of Legends. Despite winning LoL gold on its 2018 debut and taking silver on home soil in 2023, China is not entering the event in 2026 — a notable absence at the top of the sport.
  • Mobile is king. With MLBB, PUBG Mobile and Honor of Kings all on the programme, Southeast Asian powerhouses — Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia — are set to be major medal contenders.

How to watch

Esports sessions run at Aichi Sky Expo and are expected to be carried through the Games’ official broadcast partners in each region (in India, via the Sony Sports Network and Sony LIV). Confirm channels and any dedicated esports streams closer to the Games.

FAQ

Is esports a medal sport at the 2026 Asian Games? Yes. Esports awards 11 gold medals across 11 events (13 game titles), staged at Aichi Sky Expo. Competition opens Sep 22 with eFootball group play and runs through Oct 2, 2026.

When does esports start? The first matches — eFootball Group A — are on September 22, 2026, per the official AINAGOC competition schedule. The medal-competition window runs September 23 – October 2.

Which games are in the 2026 Asian Games esports programme? League of Legends, Honor of Kings, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, PUBG Mobile, Naraka: Bladepoint, Identity V, Pokémon UNITE, eFootball, Gran Turismo 7, Puyo Puyo Champions, and a Competitive Martial Arts team event (Street Fighter 6, Tekken 8, The King of Fighters XV).

Where is esports held? At Aichi Sky Expo (Aichi International Exhibition Center), Exhibition Hall D, in Tokoname, Aichi Prefecture, near Nagoya.

Is China playing League of Legends? No — China did not enter League of Legends in 2026, despite winning it in 2018 and finishing second in 2023.


Core facts (13 titles / 11 events, Aichi Sky Expo) and the day-by-day schedule per official AINAGOC and JESU information; qualifier results per official OCA/AESF. Session times are JST and subject to change. Some invitational fields remain to be confirmed.

Scroll to Top