Kabaddi returns to the Asian Games for a ninth straight edition at Aichi-Nagoya 2026, and this time the sport arrives in Japan with a deeper, more competitive field than ever. Ten men’s teams and eight women’s teams will battle across six days for continental gold, with traditional powerhouses India and Iran joined by rising challengers from South Korea, Chinese Taipei, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Japan, Thailand, Nepal, Malaysia and Sri Lanka. Here is the complete global guide to the Asian Games 2026 kabaddi schedule, teams, squads, timings, venue, and groups.
The Schedule for the Asian Games 2026 (officially known as the 19th Asian Games and also known as Aichi-Nagoya 2026) Aichi-Nagoya 2026 have been announced. With this, the Kabaddi schedule for the 2026 Asian games also been announced.
Asian Games 2026 Kabaddi: Key Details at a Glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Event | Kabaddi at the 20th Asian Games (Aichi-Nagoya 2026) |
| Dates | 21–26 September 2026 |
| Venue | Tokai Citizens Gymnasium, Aichi Prefecture, Japan |
| Men’s teams | 10 (two groups of five) |
| Women’s teams | 8 (two groups of four) |
| Defending champions | India (men’s and women’s) |
| Local time zone | Japan Standard Time (JST, UTC+9) |
This is kabaddi’s ninth consecutive Asian Games appearance. The sport entered the programme at Beijing 1990 with a six-team, men-only competition and has featured in every edition since, with the women’s event added in 2010.
Asian Games 2026 Kabaddi Venue and Format
All matches are played at the Tokai Citizens Gymnasium in Aichi Prefecture, near Nagoya, from 21 to 26 September 2026.
The format is identical for both competitions:
- Teams are split into two groups and play a single round-robin within their group.
- The top two from each group advance to the semi-finals.
- The two semi-final winners meet in the gold medal match.
- Both losing semi-finalists receive a bronze medal — so there is no separate bronze medal match.
Group matches run 21–24 September, both semi-finals are on 25 September, and both gold medal finals are on 26 September.
You can book the tickets for Asian Games 2026 on KiosTix. Asian Games 2026 Kabaddi Games online tickets. You can also refer to the complete 2026 Asian Games schedule at Asian Games 2026 Schedule, Fixtures, Timetable, Live Telecast, and Streaming.
Asian Games 2026 Kabaddi Groups
Men’s Kabaddi Groups
| Group A | Group B |
|---|---|
| India | Iran |
| Bangladesh | Pakistan |
| Republic of Korea | Nepal |
| Chinese Taipei | Thailand |
| Japan (hosts) | Malaysia |
Women’s Kabaddi Groups
| Group A | Group B |
|---|---|
| India | Sri Lanka |
| Iran | Thailand |
| Japan (hosts) | Chinese Taipei |
| Bangladesh | Nepal |
The draw keeps the two biggest men’s rivals — India and Iran — apart until the knockouts, setting up a potential blockbuster final. In the women’s draw, they are together in Group A, guaranteeing an early heavyweight clash between the last two nations to win the women’s title.
Asian Games 2026 Kabaddi Schedule and Timings
Competition schedule by day
| Event | Mon 21 | Tue 22 | Wed 23 | Thu 24 | Fri 25 | Sat 26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men’s team | Group | Group | Group | Group | Semi-finals | Final |
| Women’s team | Group | Group | Group | Group | Semi-finals | Final |
India is one of the strongest teams in these Asian Games, and it is expected that India will get the Gold in both categories (Men & Women).
Session start times (multiple time zones)
All matches are staged in two daily sessions. Below are the session start times converted for a global audience — venue local time (JST), universal time (GMT/UTC), and Indian Standard Time (IST), the sport’s largest audience.
| Morning session | 9:30 AM | 00:30 | 6:00 AM |
| Evening session | 4:00 PM | 07:00 | 12:30 PM |
| Semi-final 1 (25 Sep) | 1:00 PM | 04:00 | 9:30 AM |
| Semi-final 2 (25 Sep) | 6:00 PM | 09:00 | 2:30 PM |
| Women’s final (26 Sep) | 1:00 PM | 04:00 | 9:30 AM |
| Men’s final (26 Sep) | 6:00 PM | 09:00 | 2:30 PM |
Convert to your zone: Japan is UTC+9. Subtract 8 hours for UK (BST), 13 hours for US Eastern (EDT), or 7 hours for Central Europe (CEST). For example, the men’s final at 6:00 PM JST is 10:00 AM in London, 5:00 AM in New York and 11:00 AM in Central Europe.
Defending champions’ fixtures (reference)
The full match-by-match grid for all ten men’s and eight women’s teams follows the same daily session windows. As a reference, here is the confirmed schedule for defending champions India:
| Date | Team | Opponent | Session |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mon 21 Sep | Men | Japan | Morning |
| Mon 21 Sep | Women | Bangladesh | Evening |
| Tue 22 Sep | Men | Republic of Korea | Morning |
| Wed 23 Sep | Men | Bangladesh | Morning |
| Wed 23 Sep | Women | Iran | Morning |
| Thu 24 Sep | Men | Chinese Taipei | Morning |
| Thu 24 Sep | Women | Japan | Evening |
Asian Games 2026 Team Squad
Squad for the participating Team in Kabaddi for the Asian Games 2026.
India Asian Games 2026 Men’s Kabaddi Squad:
Pawan Sehrawat, Aslam Inamdar, Ashu Malik, Ayan Lohchab, Devank Dalal, Arjun Deshwal, Sunil Kumar, Jaideep Dahiya, Rahul Sethpal, Sumit Sangwan, Gaurav Khatri, Ankit Jaglan. Only four players return from the 2022 gold-medal side; eight will make their Asian Games debut, led by Pro Kabaddi Season 12’s top raiders Ayan Lohchab and Devank Dalal.
India Asian Games 2026 Women’s Kabaddi Squad:
Ritu Negi (c), Pushpa Rana, Sonali Shingate, Sanju Devi, Pooja Kajla, Ritu Sheoran, Jyoti Thakur, Pinki Roy, Manisha Kumari, Bhavna Thakur, Rajrani, Nikita Kumari. Sanju Devi, MVP of the 2025 Women’s Kabaddi World Cup, headlines a squad blending Asian Games pedigree with fresh talent.
Sri Lanka Asian Games 2026 Men’s Kabaddi Squad:
Sri Lanka Asian Games 2026 Women’s Kabaddi squad:
Thailand Asian Games 2026 Men’s Kabaddi Squad:
Thailand Asian Games 2026 Women’s Kabaddi Squad:
Nepal Asian Games 2026 Men’s Kabaddi Squad:
Malaysia Asian Games 2026 Men’s Kabaddi Squad:
Iranian Asian Games 2026 Men’s Kabaddi Squad:
Fazel Atrachali (c), Mohammadreza Shadloui, Reza Mirbagheri, Alireza Mirzaeian, Amir Mohammad Zafardanesh, Mohammad Esmail Nabibakhsh, Ali Samadi, Amirhossein Bastami, Amirhossein Ejlali, Heider Ekrami, Omid Khojasteh, Ali Eyvozi. Iran’s women’s squad was still to be announced at the time of writing.
Iranian Asian Games 2026 Women’s Kabaddi Squad:
South Korean Asian Games 2026 Men’s Kabaddi Squad:
South Korean Asian Games 2026 Women’s Kabaddi Squad:
Chinese Taipei Asian Games 2026 Women’s Kabaddi Squad:
India — the benchmark
India remain the team to beat, defending both titles after their Hangzhou double. The men beat Iran 33-29 in the 2023 final, and the women edged Chinese Taipei 26-25. India’s men arrive with a heavily rebuilt squad, while the women retain more continuity through captain Ritu Negi and deputy Pushpa Rana.
Iran — the great rivals
Iran is the only nation besides India to have won Asian Games kabaddi gold in both the men’s and women’s events, sweeping both titles at Jakarta 2018. Veteran defender Fazel Atrachali — a four-time Asian Games medallist and the Pro Kabaddi League’s all-time leading defender — captains the men’s side for a fifth Games, alongside star all-rounder Mohammadreza Shadloui. Seven players from the 2023 silver-medal squad return, making Iran the clear favourites in the men’s Group B.
South Korea, Bangladesh and Chinese Taipei
South Korea and Bangladesh are both multiple-time Asian Games kabaddi medallists and sit in a tough men’s Group A with India. In the women’s game, Chinese Taipei have emerged as genuine contenders, having pushed India to the final raid in 2022 and reached recent World Cup finals.
Pakistan, Japan and the rest
Pakistan are rated the biggest threat to Iran in men’s Group B. Hosts Japan will enjoy home support in front of a curious new audience — a factor that could unsettle visiting teams. Thailand, Nepal, Malaysia and Sri Lanka complete a field that reflects how far the sport has spread across Asia.
Asian Games Kabaddi History: Gold Medallists by Edition
India has dominated the sport since its 1990 debut, but Iran’s 2018 breakthrough proved the gap is closing.
| Year | Host | Men’s Gold | Women’s Gold |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Beijing | India | Not held |
| 1994 | Hiroshima | India | Not held |
| 1998 | Bangkok | India | Not held |
| 2002 | Busan | India | Not held |
| 2006 | Doha | India | Not held |
| 2010 | Guangzhou | India | India |
| 2014 | Incheon | India | India |
| 2018 | Jakarta | Iran | Iran |
| 2022/23 | Hangzhou | India | India |
Across all editions, India has won 11 of 13 gold medals (eight men’s, three women’s), while Iran is the only other nation to top a kabaddi podium at the Games.
How to Watch Asian Games 2026 Kabaddi (Global)
Official broadcast and streaming partners for Aichi-Nagoya 2026 are confirmed region by region ahead of the Games. Fans should check their local Olympic Council of Asia rights-holder or national broadcaster for live TV and streaming. In major kabaddi markets, coverage is typically carried by leading sports networks and their streaming apps; elsewhere, the Asian Games’ official digital channels are usually the best route.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
When is kabaddi at the Asian Games 2026? Kabaddi runs from 21 to 26 September 2026. Group matches are 21–24 September, both semi-finals are on 25 September, and both gold medal matches are on 26 September.
Where is kabaddi being played at the Asian Games 2026? All matches are at the Tokai Citizens Gymnasium in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, part of the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya.
How many teams are competing? Ten men’s teams (two groups of five) and eight women’s teams (two groups of four).
Which teams are the favourites? India are defending champions in both events, with Iran their closest rivals — the only other nation to have won Asian Games kabaddi gold. Chinese Taipei, South Korea, Bangladesh and Pakistan are among the other contenders.
Is there a bronze medal match in kabaddi? No. Both losing semi-finalists are awarded a bronze medal, so the only knockout match on 26 September in each event is the gold medal final.
What time do the kabaddi finals start? The women’s final begins at 1:00 PM JST (04:00 GMT) and the men’s final at 6:00 PM JST (09:00 GMT) on 26 September.
Has kabaddi always been at the Asian Games? It has featured in every edition since Beijing 1990 — nine consecutive Games. The women’s event was added in 2010.
Verdict: A Global Stage for Kabaddi
Aichi-Nagoya 2026 is shaping up as the most open kabaddi tournament the Asian Games has seen. India remain favourites in both events, but a heavily rebuilt men’s squad, a resurgent Iran led by Fazel Atrachali, and rising sides in Chinese Taipei, South Korea, Bangladesh and Pakistan promise six days of genuine jeopardy. Two groups, two finals, and continental gold on the line on 26 September.
Bookmark this page — we’ll update squads, fixtures, results and the medal table live through the tournament.
