Sports Ministry Announces Strict Selection Rules for 2026 Asian Games

By Abhishek Kumar

The Sports Ministry of India has introduced tough new selection guidelines for the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya Japan aimed at sending only medal-contending athletes and teams.

According to the new rules only athletes ranked in the top six in Asia over the past 12 months will be eligible for individual events. In team sports, only teams placed in the top eight in Asia or those finishing in the top eight at recent Asian Championships will be cleared. For sports not featured in the previous Asian Games results from the latest continental championships will be taken into account.

In a significant move the ministry has also banned additional personal coaches or support staff even if athletes are willing to pay from their own pocket. Only officials officially approved by the government will be allowed to travel with the squads. The guidelines warn that federations nominating athletes or teams just for participation risk rejection as the focus will remain firmly on medal potential. However the ministry has kept a relaxation clause allowing exceptions in extraordinary cases after evaluation by experts and the Sports Authority of India.

The new rules will also extend to other multi-sport events like the Commonwealth Games Para Asian Games and Youth Olympics though not to the Olympics where qualification is determined by international federations. This policy is expected to impact certain disciplines with India’s men’s football team—ranked 24th in Asia—already unlikely to qualify under the criteria.