Features
Asian Games 2026 Kabaddi: Schedule, India Squad, Timings, Venue and Groups
India's men's and women's kabaddi teams will begin their Asian Games 2026 campaigns in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, on September 21, with both sides aiming to defend the gold medals they won at the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou. With the sport's growing profile in India also fuelled by the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL), expectations will be high as kabaddi returns to the Asian Games.
The sport will be played from September 21 to 26 at the Tokai Citizens Gymnasium in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, as part of the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya. Ten men's teams and eight women's teams have been drawn into two groups each, competing across four days of group matches, followed by the semi-finals on September 25 and both gold medal matches on September 26.
Asian Games 2026 kabaddi venue and format
The matches will be held at the Tokai Citizens Gymnasium in Aichi Prefecture, near Nagoya. This is the ninth straight appearance for kabaddi at the Asian Games. The sport was added to the programme in 1990 and has been part of every edition since, with the women’s event joining in 2010.
The format is simple. Teams play everyone else in their group once, the top two from each group move into the semi-finals, and the two semi-final winners meet in the gold medal match. Both beaten semi-finalists take home a bronze medal, which is why there is no separate bronze medal match on the schedule.
Asian Games 2026 men’s kabaddi groups
Group A | Group B |
|---|---|
Bangladesh | Nepal |
Republic of Korea | Thailand |
Chinese Taipei | Pakistan |
Japan | Malaysia |
India | Iran |
Asian Games 2026 women’s kabaddi groups
Group A | Group B |
|---|---|
India | Sri Lanka |
Iran | Thailand |
Japan | Chinese Taipei |
Bangladesh | Nepal |
Asian Games 2026 kabaddi India schedule with IST timings
Date | Team | Opponent | Session |
|---|---|---|---|
Mon 21 Sep | Men | Japan | Morning, from 6:00 AM IST |
Mon 21 Sep | Women | Bangladesh | Evening, from 12:30 PM IST |
Tue 22 Sep | Men | Republic of Korea | Morning, from 6:00 AM IST |
Wed 23 Sep | Men | Bangladesh | Morning, from 6:00 AM IST |
Wed 23 Sep | Women | Iran | Morning, from 6:00 AM IST |
Thu 24 Sep | Men | Chinese Taipei | Morning, from 6:00 AM IST |
Thu 24 Sep | Women | Japan | Evening, from 12:30 PM IST |
Fri 25 Sep | Men & Women | Semi Final - 1 | Morning, from 9:30 AM IST |
Fri 25 Sep | Men & Women | Semi Final - 2 | Evening, from 2:30 PM IST |
Sat 26 Sep | Women | Final | Morning, from 9:30 AM IST |
Sat 26 Sep | Men | Final | Evening, from 2:30 PM IST |
India men’s kabaddi squad for Asian Games 2026
Squad List: Ashu Malik, Ayan Lohchab, Devank Dalal, Arjun Deshwal, Sunil Kumar, Jaideep Dahiya, Rahul Sethpal, Gaurav Khatri, Sumit Sangwan, Ankit Jaglan, Pawan Sehrawat and Aslam Inamdar.
India have named a 12-member men’s squad, with only four players from the 2022 Asian Games gold-medal winning side returning. Eight of the 12 men will be playing their first Asian Games and it says a lot about how quickly Pro Kabaddi has pushed a new generation forward.
Pro Kabaddi Season 12’s top two raiders, Ayan Lohchab (316 raid points) and Devank Dalal (271), are joined by Arjun Deshwal (209) and Ashu Malik, giving India four strong raiding options. In defence, Sunil Kumar provides international experience, while PKL Season 12’s second-highest-scoring defender Jaideep Dahiya (68 tackle points) and fifth-ranked Gaurav Khatri (62) add recent form, alongside Rahul Sethpal, Sumit Sangwan and Ankit Jaglan.
Pawan Sehrawat and Aslam Inamdar can contribute on both ends, also bringing in experience as part of the 2022 gold-medal team. With eight players set for their Asian Games debut, the squad reflects how quickly Pro Kabaddi has brought through a new generation of Indian talent.
India women’s kabaddi squad for Asian Games 2026
Squad List: Ritu Negi, Pushpa Rana, Sonali Shingate, Sanju Devi, Pooja Kajla, Ritu Sheoran, Jyoti Thakur, Pinki Roy, Manisha Kumari, Bhavna Thakur, Rajrani and Nikita Kumari.
India’s women’s team will also field a 12-member squad as they defend the gold medal won in Hangzhou, where they edged Chinese Taipei 26-25 in the final.
Ritu Negi, captain of the 2022 Asian Games gold-medal side, returns and is expected to lead again, with Pushpa Rana as her deputy. Rana was the raider who held her nerve in the closing stages of the Hangzhou final, while Negi remains a key defensive anchor. Sonali Shingate is the third returning player from that gold-medal run.
Sanju Devi, MVP of the 2025 Women’s Kabaddi World Cup, is another key addition. She helped India retain the world title with a 35-28 win over Chinese Taipei in the final in Dhaka. With a mix of Asian Games experience and international success, India will look to defend their title with a squad shaped by both experience and emerging talent.
India’s kabaddi record at the Asian Games
No country comes close to India’s record in Asian Games kabaddi. India has won 11 of the 13 gold medals on offer since the sport was introduced, eight in the men’s event and three in the women’s.
Record Table
Year | India men | India women |
|---|---|---|
1990 | Gold | Event not held |
1994 | Gold | Event not held |
1998 | Gold | Event not held |
2002 | Gold | Event not held |
2006 | Gold | Event not held |
2010 | Gold | Gold |
2014 | Gold | Gold |
2018 | Bronze | Silver |
2022/23 | Gold | Gold |
Teams India need to watch out for
Iran are the obvious threat, the only nation besides India to have won Asian Games kabaddi gold in both the men’s and women’s events, and the only other country with more than one kabaddi medal. The depth of competition also reflects the professional ecosystem around the sport, with the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) helping raise its standard, visibility and competitive depth in India.
In the men’s draw, Iran are in Group B, meaning India can only meet them from the semi-finals onwards. In the women’s draw, Iran are in India’s group, with the two sides meeting on 23 September.
Chinese Taipei have emerged as a genuine threat in the women’s game after pushing India to the final raid in 2022. Bangladesh and the Republic of Korea, both multiple Asian Games kabaddi medallists, are also in India’s men’s group. Japan will have home support and a crowd unfamiliar with top-level kabaddi, which could prove an advantage.
Frequently asked questions
When is kabaddi at the Asian Games 2026?
Kabaddi is played from 21 to 26 September 2026. Group matches run from 21 to 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, as part of the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya.
Who is in India’s men’s kabaddi squad for the Asian Games 2026?
The 12 players are Pawan Sehrawat, Aslam Inamdar, Ashu Malik, Ayan Lohchab, Devank Dalal, Arjun Deshwal, Sunil Kumar, Jaideep Dahiya, Rahul Sethpal, Sumit Sangwan, Gaurav Khatri and Ankit Jaglan.
Who is in India’s women’s kabaddi squad for the Asian Games 2026?
The 12 players are Ritu Negi, Pushpa Rana, Sonali Shingate, Sanju Devi, Pooja Kajla, Ritu Sheoran, Jyoti Thakur, Pinki Roy, Manisha Kumari, Bhavna Thakur, Raj Rani and Nikita Kumari.
When does India play their first kabaddi match at the Asian Games 2026?
The men open against hosts Japan in the morning session on 21 September, which starts at 6:00 AM IST. The women play Bangladesh in the evening session on the same day, from 12:30 PM IST.
How many gold medals has India won in kabaddi at the Asian Games?
India has won 11 kabaddi gold medals at the Asian Games, eight in the men’s event and three in the women’s event.
Which teams are in India’s group at the Asian Games 2026?
The men are in Group A with Bangladesh, the Republic of Korea, Chinese Taipei and Japan. The women are in Group A with Iran, Japan and Bangladesh.
How many players are making their Asian Games debut for India?
Eight of the 12 men are new to the Asian Games: Jaideep Dahiya, Sumit Sangwan, Ashu Malik, Ankit Jaglan, Gaurav Khatri, Devank Dalal, Ayan Lohchab and Rahul Sethpal.
Is there a bronze medal match in kabaddi at the Asian Games 2026?
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 match.
Short Note
India go to Japan as favourites in both events, but with a men’s team that has changed almost beyond recognition since Hangzhou. Eight debutants, four gold medallists and a raiding unit comprised of the best from Pro Kabaddi Season 12 is a bold way to defend a title. The women carry more continuity through Ritu Negi and Pushpa Rana, and they will remember how close 2022 came to going the other way. Six days, two groups, one early alarm each morning and #RaidForGlory on the line.
Follow Pro Kabaddi on Instagram, Facebook, X and YouTube for all the latest updates.
Loading...