From cricket to shooting: 10 Asian Games 2026 Events Indians should be watching Closely

The wait for the Asian Games 2026 is almost over, and India will arrive in Aichi-Nagoya with expectations built on an impressive campaign at the previous edition. 

The Indian contingent is set to feature 503 athletes, with the overall objective of building on the country's medal performance from Hangzhou. With competition spread across multiple sports and venues, Indian fans will have plenty to follow over the course of the Games. While every athlete will be competing for the country, some disciplines naturally carry greater attention because of India's recent performances, established champions and medal-winning history.

Here are 10 Asian Games 2026 events and disciplines that Indian fans should watch closely.

1. Cricket

Cricket will once again be one of the biggest attractions at the Asian Games.

India's men's and women's teams arrive after winning gold medals at Hangzhou 2023 and will look to continue their strong run in Asian cricket.

The women's competition gets underway with India's semifinal on September 20, followed by the final on September 22. The men's team enters at the quarterfinal stage, with the quarterfinal scheduled for September 28 and the men's final on October 3.

With gold medals at stake in both competitions, cricket will be closely followed from the opening stages.

2. Hockey

Hockey remains one of India's traditional Asian Games medal sports. At the previous edition, the Indian men's team won gold, while the women's team secured bronze. Both teams will have demanding group-stage schedules in Japan. The women's team begins against Uzbekistan on September 20, followed by Indonesia, Thailand, Japan and Singapore.

The men's team starts against Indonesia on September 20, before facing Sri Lanka, South Korea, Japan and Bangladesh. The matches against South Korea and Japan will be particularly important tests during the men's group stage.

3. Kabaddi

India's relationship with Asian Games kabaddi is well established, and expectations will once again be high. India won two gold medals at Hangzhou, with both the men's and women's teams finishing on top. The men's group campaign begins against Japan on September 21, followed by South Korea, Bangladesh and Chinese Taipei.

The women's team faces Bangladesh on September 21, Iran on September 23 and Japan on September 24. With several established stars and experienced players in both squads, kabaddi will be another major medal event for Indian fans.

4. Badminton

Badminton has become one of India's most closely followed Asian Games sports.

The Indian contingent includes major names such as PV Sindhu and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty. Sindhu will be among the key singles attractions, while Satwik and Chirag will attempt to retain their men's doubles gold medal. The badminton competition begins on September 20, with the team events preceding the individual competitions. The singles finals are scheduled for September 29.

India's depth across singles and doubles makes badminton one of the disciplines worth following throughout the Games.

5. Boxing

Indian boxing enters the Asian Games after a strong showing at the 2026 Commonwealth Games, making it another discipline likely to attract considerable attention. Lovlina Borgohain will be among the biggest names in the Indian boxing contingent, while the country's depth across different weight categories provides several potential storylines.

The boxing competition is scheduled from September 21 to October 2, putting the sport firmly in the second half of the Games as well.

6. Shooting

Shooting produced one of India's biggest medal hauls at Hangzhou, with the country winning 22 medals, including seven golds. India will again have a strong squad in Japan, with 30 shooters competing across Rifle, Pistol and Shotgun events.

Among the headline names is Manu Bhaker, the double Olympic bronze medallist from Paris 2024. The shooting competition begins on September 20, making it one of the earliest opportunities for India to add to its medal tally.

7. Archery

Archery was another standout discipline for India at Hangzhou. India topped the archery medal table at the previous Asian Games with nine medals, including a historic performance in compound archery.

The 2026 programme features both recurve and compound events, with competition scheduled from September 26 to October 3. After its breakthrough performance in Hangzhou, Indian archers will be looking to maintain that momentum in Japan.

8. Weightlifting

Mirabai Chanu remains one of the biggest names associated with Indian weightlifting.

After winning gold at the Commonwealth Games, she will enter the Asian Games with another opportunity to compete for a podium finish. However, the presence of China and other established weightlifting nations means the competition will be demanding.

For Indian fans, Chanu's campaign will be one of the major individual storylines to follow.

9. Wrestling

Wrestling has historically been one of India's important medal-producing sports at the Asian Games.

The 2026 competition is scheduled from September 30 to October 3, making it one of the final major medal events of the Games. India's challenge will extend across men's freestyle, women's wrestling and Greco-Roman wrestling, giving the country multiple opportunities across different categories.

The late timing means India's wrestling campaign could play an important role in the final stages of the overall medal race.

10. Rowing

Rowing may not receive the same attention as cricket, hockey or badminton, but it has previously contributed medals to India's Asian Games campaign.

The 2026 rowing competition is scheduled from September 20 to 24 at the Nagaragawa International Regatta Course. While there are no guaranteed medal expectations attached to the discipline, rowing remains one of the sports Indian fans should keep an eye on, particularly during the opening days.

From cricket and hockey to shooting, archery, badminton, kabaddi and wrestling, India's Asian Games campaign will offer plenty of medal opportunities across the fortnight. The previous edition produced a record-breaking campaign for India, and the 2026 contingent will now attempt to build on that performance.

With 503 athletes representing the country, Indian fans will have a wide range of competitions to follow, and these 10 disciplines are among the key events to watch closely as the action unfolds in Aichi-Nagoya.