Gurashish Singh, Prateek Bhaunt secure Asian Games 2026 berths

India's esports contingent for the 2026 Asian Games continues to take shape, with fighting game specialists Gurashish Singh and Prateek Bhaunt securing qualification in Tekken 8 and Street Fighter 6 respectively.

The duo earned their places after winning their respective categories at the National Esports Championships (NESC) 2026, the official selection event for India's esports representatives at the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, scheduled from September 19 to October 4.

Gurashish emerged as the national champion in Tekken 8, while Prateek topped the Street Fighter 6 competition to book his ticket to the continental event. Both titles will be part of the esports programme at the Asian Games, where India will aim to improve on its performances from previous editions.

According to the confirmed selections, India has also finalised representatives in several other esports disciplines. Gobind Singh Bedi will compete in The King of Fighters XV, while the Revenant XSpark roster has secured qualification in Pokémon Unite. The RNTX roster earned India's spot in Honor of Kings after winning the national qualification event.

Esports continues growth ahead of Asian Games

Esports will feature 11 titles at the 2026 Asian Games, continuing its rise within the continental sporting programme after becoming an official medal event at the Hangzhou Asian Games in 2023.

The fighting game disciplines, including Tekken 8, Street Fighter 6 and The King of Fighters XV, will be contested under the Competitive Martial Arts category.

India's representatives will now begin preparations for the Games, where they will face some of Asia's strongest esports athletes across multiple disciplines.

The qualification of players across fighting games, mobile esports and team-based titles reflects the continued growth of India's competitive gaming ecosystem as the country looks to make a greater impact on the Asian stage.