Sports Playbook

Asian Games 2026 Starts 19 September: Five Sports You Can Actually Start Playing in India

Padel makes its Asian Games debut this month. Five sports from the Aichi-Nagoya programme you can genuinely take up in an Indian city, and what starting costs.

Instasport

— 4 min read
Bullpadel Indiga CTR 26 padel racket, a beginner-friendly round-head frame for new padel players in India

Asian Games 2026: five sports you can actually start playing in India

The 20th Asian Games open in Aichi-Nagoya on 19 September 2026 and run to 4 October, with some events — men's basketball among them — starting as early as 10 September. The programme covers 43 sports, 71 disciplines and 469 medal events, and India is entered across a large slice of it.

Every Games produces the same pattern in India: a fortnight of watching, a spike in searches for "how to start playing X", and a lot of half-finished intentions. This guide takes five sports on the Aichi-Nagoya programme that are genuinely accessible in Indian cities right now, and tells you what it costs to actually begin.

1. Padel — the debutant everyone will be searching for

Padel makes its Asian Games debut at Aichi-Nagoya 2026, alongside teqball, surfing, BMX freestyle and MMA. Expect a visibility jump, because padel is already the fastest-growing racket sport in Indian metros — Mumbai, Bengaluru, Delhi NCR, Hyderabad and Pune all have courts now.

Padel is played in doubles, on an enclosed court, with a solid stringless racket and walls in play. It is far easier to rally on from day one than tennis, which is the entire reason it spreads so fast. Court hire is typically ₹1,500–3,000 an hour split between four players.

Starting kit: a control-biased round-head racket. The Puma Nova Padel Pro WMN Padel Racket at ₹6,499 or the Bullpadel Indiga CTR 26 at ₹9,099 are sensible first rackets — forgiving shapes, not the diamond-head power frames that punish beginners.

2. Badminton — India's most realistic medal sport to copy

Badminton needs the least explanation to an Indian audience and has the lowest barrier to entry of anything on this list. A court, a shuttle, and you are playing. Most cities have municipal or society courts at ₹200–500 an hour.

Start with a light, even-balance aluminium or basic graphite racket rather than a stiff head-heavy frame. The Yonex ZR 100 Light Badminton Racket at ₹799 is exactly the right kind of first racket: cheap enough that you are not precious about it, light enough that your wrist survives the first month.

3. Table tennis — the cheapest way to start any Asian Games sport

Table tennis rewards technique over athleticism, works indoors year-round regardless of monsoon or smog, and costs almost nothing to begin. A pre-assembled beginner bat like the Stag 2 Star Table Tennis Racquet at ₹290 is all you need for your first few months. Do not buy a custom blade-and-rubber setup until you know your grip and playing style — you will waste money on rubbers you cannot use.

4. Squash — the fitness argument

Squash is on the Asian Games programme and India has a real competitive history in it. It is also the most time-efficient workout of anything here: 40 minutes of squash will do more for your engine than an hour of most alternatives.

Courts are the constraint — you will find them in clubs, gymkhanas and a growing number of standalone centres in metros. Beginners want a slightly heavier, more forgiving racket with a larger head: the Teloon Tour 170 Tornado at ₹2,399 to start, or the Head Cyber Pro Squash Racket at ₹4,729 if you already play racket sports and want something you will not outgrow in a season.

5. Cycling — the one you can start tomorrow

Track and road cycling are both on the programme, and cycling is the only sport here with no venue problem at all. If you already own a bike, your barrier to entry is zero. If you are watching the road races and thinking about it, start with distance rather than equipment: build to a comfortable 30–50 km before spending money on upgrades.

How to actually convert the enthusiasm

  • Book the court before you buy the gear. The single biggest reason Games-inspired hobbies die is that the equipment arrives and the session never gets scheduled.
  • Buy entry-level deliberately. Your first racket in any sport is a learning tool, not a long-term investment. You will choose far better in six months.
  • Go with someone. Every sport on this list except cycling needs a partner. Recruit before you order.
  • Give it eight weeks. That is roughly how long it takes any racket sport to stop feeling frustrating and start feeling fun.

The Games run for a little over two weeks. The habit, if you set it up properly during them, lasts considerably longer.

Shop the gear

Frequently asked questions

When are the Asian Games 2026 and where are they held?

The 20th Asian Games are held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from 19 September to 4 October 2026, with some competitions — including men's basketball — beginning several days before the opening ceremony. The programme covers 43 sports, 71 disciplines and 469 medal events.

Which new sports are making their Asian Games debut in 2026?

Padel, teqball, surfing, BMX freestyle and mixed martial arts all make their Asian Games debut at Aichi-Nagoya 2026. Of those, padel is the one most easily picked up in Indian cities, with courts now open in Mumbai, Bengaluru, Delhi NCR, Hyderabad and Pune.

What is the cheapest Asian Games sport to start in India?

Table tennis. A beginner-ready bat costs from around ₹290, tables are common in clubs, offices and community halls, and it can be played indoors all year regardless of monsoon or air quality. Badminton is the next cheapest, with entry-level rackets from about ₹799.

Read more