Badminton at the Asian Games 2026 runs from 20 to 29 September at the Ichinomiya City Municipal Gymnasium in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. The team event comes first (20-24 September), followed by the five individual events (25-29 September).
India have named a 20-member squad, headlined by two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu and the reigning men's doubles champions Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty.
Key dates
- Team event: 20-24 September 2026
- Individual events: 25-29 September 2026
- Venue: Ichinomiya City Municipal Gymnasium, Aichi-Nagoya, Japan
- Events: men's and women's team, men's and women's singles, men's and women's doubles, mixed doubles
Japan runs 3 hours 30 minutes ahead of IST. A session starting at 9:00 AM local time begins at 5:30 AM IST — early mornings for Indian viewers throughout. Session-by-session start times had not been published in full at the time of writing.
India men's squad
Lakshya Sen, currently India's top-ranked men's singles player, spearheads the men's team.
Singles: Lakshya Sen, Ayush Shetty, HS Prannoy, Kidambi Srikanth, Tharun Mannepalli
Doubles: Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, Chirag Shetty, Hariharan Amsakarunan, MR Arjun, Dhruv Kapila
Lakshya Sen, HS Prannoy and former world No. 1 Kidambi Srikanth were all part of the silver medal-winning Indian men's team at Hangzhou 2023, so the core of that result travels to Japan intact.
India women's squad
Singles: PV Sindhu, Unnati Hooda, Devika Sihag, Tanvi Sharma, Isharani Baruah
Doubles: Treesa Jolly, Gayatri Gopichand Pullela, Kavipriya Selvam, Simran Singhi, Tanisha Crasto
Where India's medal chances actually sit
Being straight about this rather than optimistic.
Men's doubles is India's strongest card. Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty are the reigning Asian Games champions in the event, and it is the one category where India hold the title rather than chase it.
Men's team is the next best prospect, on the strength of the Hangzhou 2023 silver and a squad that retains most of that group.
Singles is harder. Asian badminton is the deepest field in the sport — China, Japan, Korea, Indonesia and Chinese Taipei all send contenders, and an Asian Games draw is frequently tougher than a World Championship one. Sindhu's record at major events is strong, but no Indian singles entry starts as a favourite.
India have not announced which players will feature in which individual events. Squad selection for singles and doubles slots is confirmed; event-by-event entries are not.
Frequently asked questions
When does badminton start at the Asian Games 2026?
20 September 2026, beginning with the team event, which runs to 24 September. Individual events follow from 25 to 29 September.
Where is the badminton being played?
Ichinomiya City Municipal Gymnasium in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
Is PV Sindhu playing at the Asian Games 2026?
Yes. She is named in India's 20-member squad and headlines the women's singles group.
Are Satwik and Chirag defending their title?
Yes. Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty are the reigning Asian Games men's doubles champions and are in the squad.
What time are matches in IST?
Japan is 3 hours 30 minutes ahead of IST, so a 9:00 AM local session starts at 5:30 AM IST. Detailed session times had not been released at the time of writing.
How many players are in India's badminton squad?
Twenty — ten men and ten women, covering singles and doubles across the team and individual events.