At the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, esports is continuing its medal competition amid strong interest.
However, the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) has decided to remove esports from the Asian Games’ official events after this competition.
It is worth examining what the end of the Asian Games stage will change for athlete support and separate competitions.
Three-line summary
1. Esports will be excluded from the official events after this competition
2. The OCA has contracted to hold the 2027 Kuwait competition
3. The alternative military-service benefit criteria do not apply to separate competitions
Official medal competition is expected to end after two editions
Esports was first introduced as a demonstration event at the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Asian Games and became an official medal event at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games. At its executive committee meeting in 2024 11, the OCA approved a plan to exclude esports from the Asian Games program after the Aichi-Nagoya competition and establish a separate competition.
Therefore, if the OCA’s current decision remains in place, the Asian Games that held esports as an official event will number two: Hangzhou and Aichi-Nagoya. Esports medal events are expected to disappear from the 2030 Doha Asian Games.
This competition features 11 medal events, including League of Legends, PUBG Mobile, and Gran Turismo 7. Korea sent national teams in 9 events and secured a gold medal in fighting games, a silver medal in Puyo Puyo, and bronze medals in Gran Turismo 7 and Pokémon UNITE. However, Honor of Kings lost 0–2 to the Philippines in the quarterfinals held at Aichi Sky Expo in Tokoname, Aichi Prefecture, Japan, on September 27, ending its hopes of advancing to the semifinals.
The separate Kuwait competition differs from the Asian Games
The OCA signed an agreement with Kuwait to host the first Asian Esports and Mind Sports Games in 2027. The expected number of participating athletes is 4,000 (4000), but the dates and detailed events have not yet been announced. The Philippines is in discussions to host the second edition in 2029, and the host location is expected to be decided at the OCA General Assembly in 2027.
The separate competition could provide an opportunity to attempt operations tailored to esports, free from the Asian Games’ restrictions on the number of events and scheduling. On the other hand, because game events are influenced by each game company’s intellectual property and operating methods, the OCA also determined the qualifying format for this competition in consultation with game publishers. The different operating structure from traditional sports is cited as one background factor behind esports’ changing position in the Asian Games program.
National-team support and the military-service system remain separate
After esports was added as an official Asian Games event, esports athletes received elite-sports support, including training at the national athletes’ village and exercise and physical therapy. Lee Gwang-no, Bae Jae-min, and Yeon Je-gil of the Korean national team, which won the fighting-games gold medal at this competition, also said that a regular routine, exercise, and physical therapy helped them maintain their performance.
The difference is even clearer under the military-service system. The current Enforcement Decree of the Military Service Act stipulates that first-place finishers at the Asian Games are eligible to be incorporated as art and sports personnel, but the newly established competition in 2027 is not included under this criterion. Unless the system changes, this competition will be the last Asian Games to offer esports athletes subject to mandatory military service an opportunity to be incorporated as sports personnel.
The launch of the separate competition has been confirmed, but that does not mean it has the same institutional status as an official Asian Games event. The Aichi-Nagoya competition will remain a stage where not only medals are contested, but also where the national esports system stands at a crossroads.
References
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