Nepal at Asian Games 2026: A Historic Karate Silver Sets the Tone
Nepal brings its largest-ever Games program to Aichi-Nagoya — 434 athletes across 30 sports — anchored by a fully named cricket squad and a wave of NOC scholarship prospects.
Nepal’s Asian Games Track Record
Nepal’s 2023 medals were a karate silver for Arika Gurung (women’s 68kg kumite) — Nepal’s first-ever karate medal at the Asian Games — and a kabaddi bronze for the women’s team. The 2018 medal was a badminton doubles silver for Bimal Adhikari and Bijay Gautam. Despite competing in wushu since 1990, Nepal has never medaled in that sport.
| Edition | Rank | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 Jakarta-Palembang | 33rd | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2022/23 Hangzhou | 36th | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
Source: Nepal at the 2018 Asian Games and Nepal at the 2022 Asian Games, Wikipedia; The Kathmandu Post.
Nepal’s Strongest Sports
Taekwondo, karate, and kabaddi form Nepal’s strongest Asian Games disciplines, all combat or martial-arts-adjacent sports. Badminton has also produced a medal historically. Wushu, despite decades of participation, has yet to produce a medal for Nepal.
Nepal’s Official Squads by Sport
Nepal has registered its largest-ever delegation for 2026 — 434 athletes across 30 sports, with football and taekwondo approvals still pending as of the latest reporting.
Confirmed via official federation/media sources
| Sport | Key Named Athletes | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Cricket | 15-man squad: Dipendra Singh Airee, Rohit Kumar Paudel, Sompal Kami, Karan KC, Sandeep Lamichhane, plus 10 further named players, announced Aug 11, 2026 | Confirmed |
| Taekwondo | Swastika Ghising Tamang (Individual Poomsae, Female Under-30) | Confirmed |
Reported but not yet formally finalized
| Sport | Notes |
|---|---|
| Boxing | 7-athlete training-camp squad: Chandra Bahadur Thapa, Khagendra Roka Magar, Dan Bahadur Darlami, Rabin Nepal, Ramisha Shrestha, Asmita Tamang, Kusum Tamang |
| Wushu | 7-athlete taolu training squad based in China, described as a training group rather than a confirmed final roster |
| Archery, Boxing, Karate, Wushu | NOC scholarship recipients specifically targeting 2026: Tilak Pun Magar (archery), Chandra Bahadur Thapa (boxing), Arika Gurung and Sanumaya Thing (karate), Sushmita Tamang (wushu) |
Team confirmed, no roster yet / not found
| Sports |
|---|
| Kabaddi, Badminton, Football (pending approval), remaining sports within the 30-sport, 434-athlete program |
Storylines to Watch
A record-sized delegation: at 434 athletes across 30 sports, this is Nepal’s largest-ever Asian Games program, reflecting a broader push to expand participation.
Arika Gurung’s follow-up: Nepal’s first-ever karate silver medalist returns as an NOC scholarship recipient specifically targeting 2026.
Cricket’s high profile: a fully named 15-man squad led by Sandeep Lamichhane gives Nepal one of its most closely watched teams heading into the Games.