Since the Asian and Commonwealth Games, two of the most significant multidisciplinary events following the Olympics, are planned in the upcoming ten months, 2026 takes significant importance for India. Indraneel Das makes an effort to comprehend the goals and expectations of sports federations for 2026.
Chennai: There is no rest, as they say in athletics. Fans won’t have much time to recover from the mind-blowing amount of sports that 2026 will bring. The Hockey India League (HIL), the India Open badminton, and the T20 Men’s World Cup will kick off the year. Then, until summer, there will be the perennially famous Indian Premier League. The world’s most watched and followed sport, the football World Cup in the US, Canada, and Mexico, will come next. The F1, tennis Grand Slams, the Commonwealth Games, Asian Games, badminton world championships, football leagues on a regular basis, and more…Please refer to our calendar for the whole list.
It’s a busy year. The Asian and Commonwealth Games, two of the most significant multidisciplinary events behind the Olympics, give 2026 additional relevance for India. Since there are non-Olympic sports in which India can win more medals, the sports ministry, in conjunction with the Indian Olympic Association, has chosen to send a full-fledged team to the Asian Games.
There are further causes as well. If India hadn’t hosted the Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad in 2030, the shortened Games in Glasgow from July 23 to August 2 would have been simply another Games. Due to financial constraints and the fact that Glasgow agreed to host after Victoria withdrew and other countries, including Malaysia, showed no interest, there will only be ten disciplines this time. India excels in a few of the ten sports: track cycling, weightlifting, gymnastics, swimming, basketball (3×3), netball, boxing, judo (combined with para-sports), athletics, and lawn bowls. India won gold in boxing, lawn bowls, athletics, and judo, and they were the dominant force in weightlifting.
India would like to demonstrate its continental superiority in specific sports during the Asian Games. The stage would be ideal for athletes to push themselves and advance before the 2028 Los Angeles Games. It will provide the greatest platform for National Sports Federations and the Sports Authority of India, the funding and monitoring organization, to evaluate and implement reforms as needed.
Every Asiad shooter event awards one medal.
The sport to keep an eye on this year is shooting, which has been on the rise. According to Ronak Pandit, High Performance Manager of the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI), the objective is for India to win at least one medal in each event in which it competes. Indeed, one sport in which the nation excelled was shooting. According to Ronak, it is a reflection of the long-standing procedure. The standard has been raised for 2026, and he anticipates that at least four shooters will have qualified for the Olympics by the end of the year.
He says this every day: “We have been performing pretty well in the Asian Games, and based on our performance over the past year, I would be hoping that India win medals in every event they participate in.” According to him, the Asian Games testing procedure will begin in January and last through May. The Asian Games, the quota competition, and the World Championships are all held this year (end of the year), making it a very significant year. However, it is crucial that you keep up your form at the beginning in order to be eligible to join the squad. To qualify for the Asian Games, you must be in peak form throughout the first half of the year.
Ronak thinks that everyone is technically ready because of last year’s work. “It’s all about sticking to a plan and trusting what you’ve learned, and this year, planning is going to be really important,” he adds. “I would like nothing less than a medal in every event at the Asian Games,” he says of his goal. We should win two medals in the same event in the majority of Olympic competitions, such as the World Cup final and the World Championships.
To avoid confusion later, the NRAI has previously released the selection criteria. Generally speaking, the policy will remain unchanged. People are well aware of what to expect because the Asian Games policy was created and announced last year. The usual shooter problem does not exist at World Cups or World Championships.
“Fifteen shooters can participate if there are five events or three shooters per event. However, there is a 12-player limit at the Asian Games if there are five events with three shooters each. I am merely providing you with an example.
The goal has been set for shooting, and this year’s last shots are all that remain. Two years later, the LA2028 is their larger objective.
Asian Games as a target for athletes
One such discipline that hopes to solidify its dominance on the region during the Asian Games in Nagoya is athletics. The federation has already scheduled its year and will compete in nearly every discipline at the Asian Games while focusing on a few events for the Commonwealth Games. AFI hopes to dominate the 400-meter relays for men, women, and mixed events in 2026, as well as the javelin. India would like to test their men’s, women’s, and mixed 4×100-meter relay teams for the Asian Games. Lalit Bhanot, a senior officer and former AFI secretary, has disclosed this. “We would like to dominate in both the javelin and relays for both Games in 2026,” he says.
Regarding CWG, we would focus on certain events such as relays, jumps, and javelins. However, we will compete in nearly every event at the Asian Games. From 100-meter sprints to 400-meter and 3000-meter steeplechases to decathlons, the same may apply to women as well. If all goes according to plan, the 4×100-meter relay teams will compete in the Asian Games and will be included to the Olympic schedule with the 4×400-meter relay.
Longer grappling coaching and new foreign coaches
2025 has been a dismal year for wrestling, particularly on the senior circuit. The only bright spot was Antim Panghal’s World Championship medal. In order for wrestlers to have a respectable recovery and lay the groundwork for the 2028 Olympics, 2026 would be crucial. This is known to the Wrestling Federation of India (WF). Additionally, they have already started the process in conjunction with the Sports Authority of India.
According to WFI chief Sanjay Singh, in order to preserve some semblance of continuity, a year-long national camp is being planned. Since the 2008 Beijing Games, wrestling has been one of the few sports to earn the nation at least one Olympic medal. The Asian Games will be the first step toward the aim, according to the WFI president, who believes that the LA Games preparations have already started. “Asian Games is very important as it will give us a clear picture of where we stand and what we need to do to achieve the goal,” Singh tells this daily.
Singh claims that the Pro Wrestling League’s January relaunch will aid the WFI in getting wrestlers ready for the Games. “The league promotes Indian wrestlers by pitting them against the top competitors in the globe. Additionally, they have the chance to observe these athletes’ preparation up close, which helps them better comprehend their work ethics. We anticipate nothing less this time around because the league has previously contributed to the growth of Indian wrestling,” he says.
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