Japan names 25-player esports team for 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya

Japan has named a 25-player esports delegation for the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture. The Games begin on 19 September. The squad will compete in nine titles across seven events, including Street Fighter 6, Tekken 8 and Pokémon Unite.

The lineup emphasizes titles with strong domestic followings. Entries cover fighting games such as Street Fighter 6, Tekken 8 and The King of Fighters XV; racing in Gran Turismo 7; puzzle competition in Puyo Puyo Champions; and team formats in Pokémon Unite and eFootball.

Organisers expanded the Aichi-Nagoya esports programme to 13 titles across 11 events, with 11 titles added since the 2023 edition. Japan will not enter every title on the programme, which limits direct comparisons of results across Games cycles.

The delegation spans a wide age range. Eleven-year-old Kurihara Yūki will represent Japan in Puyo Puyo Champions, while 43-year-old Sawada Akihito, known as Score, will compete in The King of Fighters XV.

Selection methods differed by discipline. Street Fighter 6 places were decided through designated qualifying events feeding into a national tournament. Places for Pokémon Unite and Identity V were allocated based on broader performance measures and recent match-play form.

Esports is on the Asian Games official medal programme for the second time. It was a demonstration sport at the 2018 Games and became a full medal discipline at the 2023 edition. For 2026, organisers broadened the roster of games.

Governance and format issues remain under discussion. Publisher control over intellectual property and competition rules can conflict with the fair-play frameworks used by multisport events. The range of game genres presents challenges for treating esports as a single discipline. The International Olympic Committee ended a planned Olympic Esports Games partnership with Saudi Arabia in October 2025. No formal decision has been announced about esports at future Asian Games beyond Nagoya.

Japan’s team will travel to Nagoya to contest the scheduled events, with match results determining medalists. The squad combines established veterans and very young competitors selected under different qualification systems.