Laos at Asian Games 2026: A Full Esports Roster Leads the Way
While Laos’s traditional strength in wushu and weightlifting stays unconfirmed for 2026, its League of Legends squad has already been named in full.
Laos’s Asian Games Track Record
Laos’s 2023 medals were all bronze, all in wushu sanda, though the specific athlete names could not be independently verified. In 2018, Laos won two silvers and three bronzes entirely in weightlifting, with the silvers named as Yothin Sombatputhone (55kg) and Chanthalak Chanthavong (48kg). Note: petanque, though popular domestically, has not produced an Asian Games medal for Laos per available records — this is a common misconception worth flagging.
| Edition | Rank | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 Jakarta-Palembang | 31st | 0 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| 2022/23 Hangzhou | 34th | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
Source: Laos at the 2018 Asian Games and Laos at the 2022 Asian Games, Wikipedia.
Laos’s Strongest Sports
Muay Thai is Laos’s most successful sport by all-time Asian Games medal count (1 silver, 6 bronze), followed by weightlifting (2 silver, 4 bronze) and sepak takraw (1 silver, 2 bronze). Wushu has been the most recent medal producer, with all three of Laos’s 2023 bronzes coming from sanda.
Laos’s Official Squads by Sport
Laos’s most concrete 2026 commitment so far is in esports, where a full competitive roster has been named.
Confirmed via official federation/media sources
| Sport | Key Named Athletes | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Esports (League of Legends) | Vannaxay “Kataiy” Vongxaty (Top), Valinsack “Junior” Sourinphoumy (Jungle), Vilayouth “Birth” Vongthilath (Mid), Lammalinh “Tito” Phakaysone (ADC), Phoutthasak “Mee” Chanthavong (Support), coach Phonpaseuth “Do limix” Chounlamany | Confirmed |
Reported but not yet formally finalized
| Sport | Notes |
|---|---|
| Not yet announced / not found. 2023-era wushu names should not be assumed to carry over to the 2026 squad. | |
Team confirmed, no roster yet / not found
| Sports |
|---|
| Wushu, Weightlifting, Muay Thai, Athletics, Sepak Takraw, Petanque, Esports (Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, PUBG Mobile — beyond League of Legends) |
Storylines to Watch
Esports leads the way: a fully named League of Legends roster makes Laos’s competitive-gaming program the country’s most concretely prepared entry for 2026, well ahead of its traditional combat-sports program.
Wushu’s continuity question: with all three of Laos’s 2023 medals coming from wushu sanda, whether the same athletes return for 2026 remains an open question given the lack of a confirmed roster.