The 2026 Asian Games is taking esports to the next level, officially announcing eleven titles as medalled events in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. The decision was made during an online emergency executive board meeting on February 22, 2025, led by the National Olympic Committees, the Executive Board members, and OCA Director General Husain Al Musallam.
For the first time in Asian Games history, an official martial arts team competition will be part of the esports lineup, marking a major step in merging traditional sports themes with digital competition.
Here are the eleven esports titles that will award medals in 2026:
Esports made its Asian Games debut in 2018 as a demonstration sport during the Jakarta-Palembang edition. Titles such as League of Legends, Hearthstone, Arena of Valor, and StarCraft II were featured, though medals did not contribute to the overall national standings.
By 2022, the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, elevated esports to official medalled status for the first time. A total of eight medal events were scheduled, with additional demonstration events in Robotics and VR. However, due to Blizzard’s server shutdown in China, Hearthstone was removed from the lineup.
The 2026 edition expands on this growth, introducing a mix of fighting games, strategy-based esports, and sports simulations. The inclusion of major titles such as Tekken, Street Fighter, and King of Fighters highlights the increasing recognition of esports within competitive sporting events.
The 2026 Asian Games will take place from September 19 to October 4, 2026, in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. This marks another milestone in the evolution of esports as a legitimate and respected sporting discipline in international competition.
