Kabaddi’s toughest defence yet: Can India retain both men’s and women’s gold medals at Asian Games 2026?

India’s kabaddi teams head into the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026 in Japan with a familiar target but a tougher challenge: retaining both the men’s and women’s gold medals. Kabaddi will be played from September 21 to 26, with the Indian men beginning against hosts Japan and the women opening their campaign against Bangladesh.

India’s dominance in Asian Games kabaddi is difficult to match. The men have won gold in eight editions, while the women have collected three gold medals since their event was introduced in 2010. Overall, India has won 11 of the 13 Asian Games kabaddi gold medals available so far.

The men’s team have won every men’s kabaddi gold from the sport’s Asian Games debut in Beijing in 1990 through 2014, before Iran ended that run in dramatic fashion at Jakarta-Palembang 2018. India had to settle for bronze, while Iran became the first nation other than India to win the men’s Asian Games title.


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The women’s team suffered a similar shock in 2018. India had won gold when women’s kabaddi debuted at the Asian Games in 2010 and retained it in 2014, but Iran defeated the favourites in the Jakarta final to claim gold, leaving India with silver. It was the first Asian Games edition in which neither Indian kabaddi team won gold.

India responded strongly at Hangzhou 2022 (held in 2023). The women edged Chinese Taipei 26-25 in a tense final to reclaim gold. Meanwhile, the men defeated defending champions Iran 33-29 in a dramatic final to take back the title. Iran had erased India's lead to tie the game 25-25 midway through the second half, and after a late 28-28 deadlock and a lengthy rule dispute in the final minute, India pulled away in the closing seconds to secure the win.

The women’s triumph was equally significant because it came against an emerging Chinese Taipei side that had already pushed India to a 34-34 draw in the group stage. ESPN noted that the narrow final victory highlighted both India’s experience and the growing competitiveness of women’s kabaddi, while also pointing to the limited opportunities available to India’s women players at the highest level.

The 2026 challenge could be even more interesting because India’s men are entering the Games with a significantly refreshed squad. Of the 12 players selected, eight are set to make their Asian Games debuts, while only four members of the 2022 gold-medal side return. The squad includes established names such as Pawan Sehrawat and Aslam Inamdar alongside emerging Pro Kabaddi League performers such as Ayan Lohchab and Devank Dalal.

The women’s side brings greater continuity, with 2022 captain Ritu Negi returning alongside Pushpa Rana and Sonali Shingate. Sanju Devi, the MVP of India’s 2025 Women’s Kabaddi World Cup-winning campaign, also adds recent international pedigree to the squad.

In Aichi-Nagoya, Iran remains the biggest threat, particularly after pushing India hard in recent years, while Chinese Taipei have established themselves as a serious force in the women’s competition. With the men undergoing a major transition and the women defending a narrow title, India’s traditional kabaddi supremacy faces one of its most intriguing tests yet.

Squad:

Women's Squad List: Ritu Negi, Pushpa Rana, Sonali Shingate, Sanju Devi, Pooja Kajla, Ritu Sheoran, Jyoti Thakur, Pinki Roy, Manisha Kumari, Bhavna Thakur, Rajrani and Nikita Kumari.

Men's Squad List: Ashu Malik, Ayan Lohchab, Devank Dalal, Arjun Deshwal, Sunil Kumar, Jaideep Dahiya, Rahul Sethpal, Gaurav Khatri, Sumit Sangwan, Ankit Jaglan, Pawan Sehrawat and Aslam Inamdar.