Esports Bids Farewell to Asian Games After 2026, Kuwait to Host New Event in 2027

Did you know that esports will no longer be part of the Asian Games after 2026? That's right – the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) has confirmed that the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games will be the last to include esports as a medal event. But don't worry, the action isn't going away entirely. Instead, a brand-new standalone event is taking its place: the Asian Esports and Mind Sports Games, set to debut in Kuwait in 2027.

The decision was announced on September 21 by OCA President Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani. The new event will be held every two years, with the second edition already planned for 2029. It won't just be about esports either – the Asian Esports and Mind Sports Games will also feature mind sports like chess, Go, draughts, and bridge. The first edition is expected to attract around 4,000 athletes, though the full game lineup and exact dates are still under wraps. Manila has reportedly expressed interest in hosting a future edition.

So, what does this mean for the 2026 Asian Games? It's going to be a massive send-off. The esports competition will run from September 22 to October 2, featuring 13 games across 11 medal events, with over 30 countries and regions participating. You'll see popular titles like League of Legends, Honor of Kings, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, and PUBG Mobile, plus some lesser-known gems. One standout moment already making waves: 11-year-old Japanese player Yuki Kurihara dominated the Puyo Puyo event on September 26, taking gold and breaking the record for the youngest Asian Games medalist, previously held by 12-year-old Indonesian skateboarder Nyimas in 2018.

The road to this change has been in the works for a while. Back in late 2024, the OCA decided to remove esports from the Asian Games after 2026 and create a separate event. In April 2024, the OCA's Esports and Martial Arts Committee began discussions, and by June 30, the OCA announced the Asian Games Esports Festival, initially planned for 2025. Then, on November 26, 2024, the OCA Executive Committee approved a revised plan: esports would exit the Asian Games after 2026, and the new Asian Esports and Mind Sports Games would be established, with a new Asian organization handling mind sports.

Esports isn't disappearing from OCA's multi-sport events entirely, though. It first appeared at the Asian Indoor Games from 2007 to 2017, joined the Asian Games in 2018, and will be a formal event at the 2025 Asian Youth Games in Bahrain. However, one big question remains: will Tencent continue its involvement? Tencent Esports has been an Asian Games partner since 2025 and has a strategic partnership with OCA through 2035. During the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, Tencent provided its Esports Competition Solutions (ECS) to support the 11 medal events, including equipment checks, on-site monitoring, and post-match reviews. Tencent's games like League of Legends, Honor of Kings, and PUBG Mobile have been staples, and in January, Tencent said it would continue serving the Asian Games and other major Asian multi-sport events. But it hasn't yet announced whether it will participate in the 2027 Asian Esports and Mind Sports Games.

Looking ahead, 2027 is shaping up to be a packed year for esports. Besides the Asian Esports and Mind Sports Games in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia is set to host the Esports Nations Cup the same year. For top players, the second half of 2027 could be extremely busy, and geopolitical tensions in the Middle East might affect scheduling. As for the 2026 Asian Games, it's your last chance to see esports as an official medal event – so mark your calendars. What do you think about esports leaving the Asian Games? Will you be tuning in to the new event in 2027? Let us know in the comments!