Esports gets medal events at the 2026 Asian Games

The esports tournament at the 2026 Asian Games runs from September 23 to October 2 at the Aichi International Exhibition Center in Tokoname, Aichi Prefecture, Japan.

Which games award medals

The Olympic Council of Asia's executive board approved 13 video games across 11 official medal events. The lineup includes eFootball, Gran Turismo 7, Honor of Kings, Naraka: Bladepoint, Puyo Puyo Champions, Identity V, League of Legends, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, Pokémon Unite, and PUBG Mobile, alongside a competitive martial arts event.

Why it matters

An official multi-sport event like the Asian Games awarding medals for video games, with the same competitive standing as any other sport on the program, is still unusual worldwide — and the game list itself, pairing a racing sim (Gran Turismo 7) with shooters, MOBAs, and mobile titles, shows how far the term "esports" has stretched beyond any single genre.