Wrestling at Asian Games 2026: From 1954 Debut to Aichi-Nagoya
Wrestling at Asian Games 2026: A Tradition Since 1954
Wrestling at Asian Games 2026 will mark another chapter in one of the longest-running sports traditions at the continental multi-sport event. Wrestling first became part of the Asian Games programme in 1954 in Manila, Philippines, and has remained a regular feature since then.
The sport has evolved considerably since its Asian Games debut. Freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling have featured prominently over the decades, while women’s wrestling became part of the Asian Games programme in 2002. The 2026 edition will once again feature all three disciplines.
The Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games will be held in Japan from September 19 to October 4, 2026, with wrestling scheduled from September 30 to October 3 at the Nagoya Inae Sports Centre.
Wrestling at Asian Games 2026: Three Disciplines, 18 Weight Classes
The 2026 wrestling competition will feature 18 weight classes, divided equally between men’s freestyle, women’s wrestling and Greco-Roman wrestling. Each discipline will have six medal events.
In men’s freestyle, the weight categories are 57kg, 65kg, 74kg, 86kg, 97kg and 125kg. Women’s wrestling will have 50kg, 53kg, 57kg, 62kg, 68kg and 76kg, while Greco-Roman will feature 60kg, 67kg, 77kg, 87kg, 97kg and 130kg.
The competition will follow a compact one-day format for each set of weight classes, with qualification rounds, semifinals and repechage followed by the medal bouts on the same day.
Wrestling at Asian Games 2026: Competition Schedule
The wrestling programme begins on September 30 with Greco-Roman 67kg, 87kg and 130kg, alongside women’s 68kg. The second day features Greco-Roman 60kg, 77kg and 97kg and women’s 62kg.
Freestyle action begins on October 2, with the 65kg, 86kg and 125kg categories alongside women’s 50kg and 76kg. The final wrestling day on October 3 will feature freestyle 57kg, 74kg and 97kg, together with women’s 53kg and 57kg.
Wrestling at Asian Games 2026: India’s Challenge
India will have representation across all three wrestling disciplines. The official UWW entries list Indian wrestlers in all six women’s categories, all six freestyle categories and all six Greco-Roman categories.
In women’s wrestling, India’s entries include Dipanshi at 50kg, Antim at 53kg, Manisha at 57kg, Mansi at 62kg, Nisha at 68kg and Priya at 76kg.
The men’s freestyle contingent includes Aman at 57kg, Sujeet at 65kg, Sagar Jaglan at 74kg, Mukul Dahiya at 86kg, Deepak Punia at 97kg and Rajat Ruhal at 125kg. In Greco-Roman, India’s listed wrestlers are Sumit, Deepak, Aman, Sunil Kumar, Nitesh and Deepanshu across the six weight categories.
Wrestling at Asian Games 2026: Stars to Watch
The competition will feature several major names from across Asia. Japan’s Akari Fujinami, an Olympic and world champion, is among the standout names in the women’s field, while Iran’s Amir Hossein Zare brings world-level pedigree to the men’s freestyle 125kg category.
Japan will also have Olympic champion Nao Kusaka in the Greco-Roman 77kg category. Uzbekistan’s Razambek Jamalov, the Paris Olympic champion, is entered at freestyle 74kg.
For India, Sujeet will compete in the 65kg freestyle category, while Antim and Manisha headline the 53kg and 57kg women’s fields respectively. The entries place Indian wrestlers in several weight classes featuring strong Asian opposition.
From Wrestling at Asian Games 1954 to Aichi-Nagoya 2026
Wrestling’s Asian Games journey began in Manila in 1954 and has continued through successive editions across the continent. India has been part of that history from the beginning, winning two medals at the inaugural wrestling competition in 1954.
Over the years, the sport has developed into a major medal discipline at the Asian Games, with competition expanding across freestyle, Greco-Roman and women’s wrestling. The 2026 edition continues that evolution with 18 weight classes and 258 wrestlers listed in the initial entries.
The Aichi-Nagoya Games will therefore combine wrestling’s long continental history with a new generation of Asian stars competing for medals in Nagoya.
Wrestling at Asian Games 2026: India Eyes Strong Medal Campaign
With 18 medal events and Indian representation across every wrestling discipline, the Aichi-Nagoya Games will provide another major test for the country’s wrestling programme.
India will face established wrestling powers including Japan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Mongolia, China and South Korea. With Olympic and world champions also entered, the competition is expected to be one of the strongest wrestling fields of the Games.
As wrestling returns to the Asian Games in its 2026 edition, the sport’s journey from its 1954 debut to the Aichi-Nagoya stage reflects more than seven decades of continental competition.
