India had qualified for both men’s and women’s football events at the Asian Games 2026 but will not participate. The teams were withdrawn because they failed to satisfy the Government of India’s eligibility rules for team sports, which require national sides to rank among Asia’s top eight. Draws for the tournaments are set for July 23, yet both Indian squads have already been replaced. The Games will be held in Japan’s Aichi-Nagoya region from September 19 to October 4. A last-minute policy change, as occurred ahead of the 2023 Hangzhou edition, now seems improbable. The same ranking requirement had previously excluded the teams from the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games. For Hangzhou 2023 the Sports Ministry relaxed the criteria shortly before the event, permitting participation. Qualification for Aichi-Nagoya 2026 was achieved through Asian Football Confederation pathways. Fifteen of the sixteen men’s teams that reached the AFC U-23 Asian Cup earned spots, while eleven of the twelve women’s teams from the AFC Women’s Asian Cup qualified. Australia was excluded from the process because it does not belong to the Olympic Council of Asia. Despite meeting sporting standards, neither Indian team satisfied the ministry’s ranking threshold. The men’s side stands 138th globally and 26th in Asia. The women’s team ranks 69th worldwide and 13th in Asia, falling short despite winning the recent SAFF Women’s Championship. An All India Football Federation official noted that government rules limit participation to the top eight Asian teams and that football does not meet this standard. India once enjoyed success at the Asian Games, claiming gold medals in 1951 and 1962 and bronze in 1970. Results have since declined. The women’s side has appeared three times, finishing eighth in 1998, ninth in 2014 and 13th in 2023. Their absence from the 2026 tournament represents another missed opportunity for Indian football.
