NEW DELHI: Esports has been officially designated as one of the medal sports in the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026, as announced by the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games Organizing Committee (AINAGOC). This highlights the inclusion of esports among the nine newly added sports for the upcoming games,a media release said.
Esports is making its full-fledged debut as an official medal sport at the Asian Games 2022 in Hangzhou where India will be competing in four different titles: DOTA 2, FIFA 22, Street Fighter V, and League of Legends from September 23 to October 8. The inclusion of Esports in the 20th Asian Games will undoubtedly serve as a great encouragement for Indian Esports athletes to pursue their passion professionally.
Lokesh Suji, the Director of the Esports Federation of India (ESFI), and the Vice President of the Asian Esports Federation (AESF) expressed his excitement about the development by saying, “The decision and announcement by both the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) and the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games Organizing Committee (AINAGOC) to include esports as a medal event at the 20th Asian Games, subsequent to the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, is warmly embraced by ESFI. With this announcement, it becomes crucial for us to expedite the development of our
infrastructure, education programs, training facilities, and overall awareness within the esports ecosystem. Additionally, it is imperative that we provide our athletes with top-notch equipment and resources, empowering them to deliver their best performances on international stages. We encourage the entire nation to embrace this remarkable development.”
According to the recent “Windows of Opportunity” report on India’s Media and Entertainment industry by FICCI-EY, the number of Esports players across all competitive level games in India increased from 600,000 in 2021 to 1 million in 2022, and it is expected to reach 2.5 million in 2023. Moreover, the number of international Esports teams in India is expected to grow from 7 in 2022 to 10 in 2023.
Following the successful collaboration with the HAGOC for the upcoming 19th Asian Games, AESF, as the Asian Esports governing body, will continue its collaboration model with the AINAGOC and the local counterparts to ensure a successful Esports program at the 20th Asian Games.
