WFI opens Senior Worlds selection to Asian Games wrestlers with two-stage trial process

The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) has introduced a selection process that could see India’s Asian Games-bound wrestlers return to the mat for another shot at representing the country at the 2026 Senior World Championships.

Under the new system, wrestlers selected for the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya will not receive automatic exclusion from the World Championships trials. Instead, they will have the option of entering the initial trials and securing their place at the Senior Worlds directly or facing the winner of their respective weight category in a final trial if they choose not to participate in the first round.

The decision reflects the unusual demands of the international calendar this year. The Asian Games are scheduled for later in September, while the Senior World Championships will take place in Astana, Kazakhstan, from October 24 to November 1. With only a few weeks separating the two major competitions, WFI has attempted to create a selection mechanism that keeps the door open for the country’s best wrestlers while still giving other contenders a pathway into the World Championships squad.

The first stage of the trials will begin on September 14 at the IG Stadium in New Delhi, covering the six Olympic weight categories. The men’s freestyle and Greco-Roman trials will then be conducted on September 15 at the Sports Authority of India Centre in Lucknow.

The system is designed to produce a challenger in weight categories where an Asian Games selection already exists. If an Asian Games wrestler decides not to participate in the September 14-15 trials, the winner of that category will not automatically become India’s World Championships representative. Instead, that wrestler will have to face the Asian Games selection in a separate final trial.

The winner of that final contest will earn the right to compete at the Senior World Championships.

There is, however, another route for the Asian Games selections. Should an Asian Games-bound wrestler participate in the initial trials and finish first, the wrestler will be directly selected for the Senior Worlds. In such a scenario, WFI will not conduct an additional final trial.

The arrangement essentially ensures that selection remains competitive without completely disregarding the wrestlers who have already earned their places in the Asian Games squad.

Two weight categories will follow a different procedure. The men’s freestyle 86kg and Greco-Roman 130kg divisions will not have a final trial. The wrestler who tops the September 15 trials in each category will be selected for the Senior World Championships.

The exception has been necessitated by India’s decision not to field wrestlers in these two categories at the Asian Games following doping-related cases involving Mukul Dahoya in the 86kg freestyle category and Deepanshu in the 130kg Greco-Roman division. Since there will be no Asian Games representative to protect a selection in these weight classes, WFI has opted for a straightforward trial-based selection.

The timing of the World Championships has also influenced another important decision by the federation. WFI has already decided to send separate squads for the Under-23 and Senior World Championships rather than asking the same group of wrestlers to compete in both events.

The Under-23 World Championships are scheduled to take place in Las Vegas from October 12 to 18. The Senior World Championships begin in Astana just six days later on October 24. Competing at both tournaments would leave wrestlers with limited time for recovery, travel and preparation, making a separate-squad approach more practical.

The latest trial framework therefore forms part of a wider attempt by WFI to manage selection and athlete workload during an exceptionally crowded international season.

There is also a disciplinary condition attached to the trials. Wrestlers who have been found guilty of indiscipline at the National Coaching Camp during the current year will not be permitted to participate in the selection process. The federation's stance adds another layer to what is already expected to be a closely watched set of trials.

For wrestlers outside the Asian Games squad, the September trials consequently represent a significant opportunity. A strong performance could put them directly into contention for the Senior Worlds, while those who emerge as winners in categories involving Asian Games selections could earn the right to challenge established names in the final trial.

For the Asian Games wrestlers themselves, the equation is equally demanding. Their selection for Japan does not close the door on another major assignment. Instead, they will have to decide whether to enter the first trial or preserve their position for a potential final contest.

With the Asian Games and Senior World Championships separated by only a matter of weeks, WFI's two-stage approach is set to add another layer of competition to India's wrestling calendar. The September trials will not merely determine the challengers; they could ultimately reshape India's squad for the year's second major championship.