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India Opens NESC 2026 Registrations to Select Esports Athletes for Asian Games in Japan

NES 2026 logo for 20th Asian Games, Aichi-Nagoya 2026. Includes game icons like Street Fighter and Pokémon Unite on a white background.

The Esports Federation of India (ESFI) has officially opened registrations for the National Esports Championship 2026 (NESC 2026), a national qualification tournament designed to select India's esports contingent for the 20th Asian Games scheduled to be held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from September 19 to October 4, 2026.


Esports will feature as a full-medal event at the Asian Games for only the second time, following its debut at the 2023 edition in Hangzhou.


This is a meaningful step for competitive gaming in Asia, and India is clearly taking it seriously by rolling out a structured national selection process that spans 30 days.


According to ESFI, registrations for the championship will remain open until March 7, giving players across the country a window to sign up and compete for a spot on the national team.


The championship is open to all Indian citizens regardless of gender and welcomes both professional esports athletes and aspiring competitive gamers.


India will be participating in 10 out of the 13 official esports titles featured at the Asian Games 2026.


The three titles India has opted out of are Honor of Kings, Identity V (Asian Games Version), and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang.


The titles India will compete in are as follows:

  • Street Fighter 6 (PC)

  • Tekken 8 (PC)

  • The King of Fighters XV (PC)

  • Pokemon Unite (Mobile/Nintendo Switch)

  • League of Legends (PC)

  • Naraka: Bladepoint (PC)

  • Gran Turismo 7 (PS5)

  • eFootball (Mobile and PC)

  • Puyo Puyo Champions (PC)

  • Battlegrounds Mobile India or BGMI (Mobile, representing PUBG Mobile Asian Games Version)


Table listing official NESC2026 Asian Games eSports titles, platforms, match formats, and participant details, including games like Street Fighter 6.

It is worth noting that Street Fighter 6, Tekken 8, and The King of Fighters XV will be clubbed together as a single team event under the Competitive Martial Arts category.


As for BGMI, since PUBG Mobile remains banned in India, ESFI will conduct the selection process through BGMI. However, as per the regulations document, "the final decision on participation and representation in such titles shall remain solely with the competent authorities and the concerned Ministry of the Government of India."


Through NESC 2026, ESFI aims to identify athletes across eight medal events, with India having a cumulative medal opportunity of up to 24 medals at the continental Games.


ESFI president Vinod Kumar Tiwari shared his thoughts on the initiative, stating, "With esports now firmly established as a medal event, our focus is on identifying and nurturing the very best talent the country has to offer."


"NESC 2026 provides a fair, competitive, and transparent platform for athletes to earn their place in the national squad. We encourage players from across India to step forward, compete with determination, and seize this opportunity to represent the nation on one of Asia's biggest sporting stages."


There are a few key eligibility and registration rules players need to keep in mind before signing up:

  • Only Indian citizens are eligible to participate, regardless of gender, race, or disability.

  • Players under 18 years of age must submit a Minor and Parental/Legal Guardian Consent Form along with their registration.

  • All participants must provide a government-issued photo ID proof showing their date of birth, such as an Aadhaar card, Voter ID, Passport, or PAN card.

  • Players are not permitted to register with multiple teams or multiple accounts.

  • ESFI has strongly advised all participants to obtain or renew their passports immediately, preferably under the Tatkal scheme, since winners without a valid passport by the end of the championship may lose their spot to the next eligible player in merit order.

  • All selected participants must ensure their passports remain valid at least until January 1, 2027.


Following NESC 2026, selected teams and athletes will move on to the Asian regional qualifiers, which are scheduled between May and July 2026. Winning those qualifiers will secure a team's spot in the main event at the Asian Games in September.


For interested players, ESFI has advised participants to join the official ESFI Discord server at discord.gg/esfi and follow this LINK for registration.

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