The Asian Games 2026 may officially open with its grand opening ceremony on September 19, but for India, the sporting action starts a day earlier.
Team India will be on the field on September 18, with athletes competing in soft tennis and teqball, while the women’s cricket team begins its campaign in a crucial quarter-final clash against Japan.
The early start gives Indian fans plenty to follow even before the opening ceremony gets underway.
India’s soft tennis contingent will be involved in team qualification matches against Laos, Chinese Taipei and Mongolia.
The Indian teqball campaign will also see Quimcy Joaquim Dsouza in women’s singles action, while Dsouza and Mohamed Anas Imran Beg will compete in mixed doubles.
The biggest attraction of the day, however, will be women’s cricket.
India will face Japan in the quarter-final at 10.30 am IST as the defending champions begin their bid to retain the Asian Games title.
For fans, it means the wait for India’s Asian Games campaign is already over.
While the ceremonial opening is still a day away, the competition has begun, and Team India is ready to get into the action.
India’s key Day -1 events
- 5.30 am- Soft tennis, India men vs Laos
- 6.00 am- Teqball, Quimcy Joaquim Dsouza vs Japan
- 6.30 am- Teqball, Quimcy Joaquim Dsouza vs Cambodia
- 7.30 am- Soft tennis, India men vs Chinese Taipei
- 9.30 am- Soft tennis, India men vs Mongolia
- 9.30 am- Teqball mixed doubles, Dsouza/Mohamed Anas Imran Beg vs Philippines
- 10.30 am- Women’s cricket, India vs Japan, quarter-final
- 11.00 am- Teqball mixed doubles, Dsouza/Beg vs Cambodia
- 12.30 pm- Teqball mixed doubles, Dsouza/Beg vs Thailand
- 1.00 pm- Teqball mixed doubles, Dsouza/Beg vs Kuwait