The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) has officially refuted rumors about the potential exclusion of esports from the Asian Games. The organization affirmed that esports will maintain its status as an official sport in the competition.
According to a report by Xinhua News Agency on Tuesday, OCA Secretary General Husain Al Musallam issued a statement on Monday. He confirmed that esports will continue to be a part of the Asian Games framework, with the OCA pledging ongoing support for the growth of esports across Asia.
Al Musallam emphasized that the OCA has not made any announcements or notifications regarding the removal of esports from the Asian Games.
He further stated that online claims suggesting esports would be excluded from the Asian Games are inconsistent with the OCA’s strategic direction.
On September 19, the OCA signed an agreement with Kuwait to host the Asian Esports and Mind Sports Games, with the inaugural event scheduled for next year.
This announcement led to speculation that the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games might be the final iteration to feature esports as an official event.
Al Musallam clarified that the creation of the Asian Esports and Mind Sports Games is intended to provide additional platforms for Asian athletes to showcase their skills. He assured that this new event would not diminish the status of esports within the Asian Games structure.
The Secretary General stressed that the OCA will continue to champion the development of esports in Asia and plans to promote it at other sporting events as well.
Esports made its debut as a demonstration sport at the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Asian Games. It was then elevated to an official medal event at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, which took place in 2023.
The upcoming Aichi-Nagoya Games will feature competitions in 11 esports titles, including Street Fighter 6, Puyo Puyo Esports, PUBG, and League of Legends.
Despite these developments, the debate surrounding the inclusion of esports in multi-sport events like the Asian Games continues to be a topic of discussion in the sports community.