Palestine at Asian Games 2026: A Program Rebuilding Amid Crisis

Palestine’s two career Asian Games medals came 21 years apart in boxing and karate; its build-up to 2026 is set against a sports sector its own federations describe as devastated by war.

2 All-Time Medals Since 1990

2023 Karate Bronze

15 Sports at 2023 Hangzhou Games

All-Time Asian Games Medals

44th

All-Time Rank

Athletes at 2023 Hangzhou Games

Sports Entered in 2023

Palestine’s Asian Games Track Record

Palestine has won exactly two Asian Games medals in its history, both bronze: Munir Abu-Keshek in boxing (men’s light heavyweight) at the 2002 Busan Games, and Hala Al-Qadi in karate (women’s 68kg kumite) at the 2022/23 Hangzhou Games. Palestine went medal-less at the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Games, where it fielded athletics, football, ju-jitsu, karate, swimming, taekwondo, weightlifting, and wrestling competitors across 8 sports.

Edition	Rank	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
2018 Jakarta-Palembang	Unranked	0	0	0	0
2022/23 Hangzhou	36th	0	0	1	1

Source: Palestine at the 2018 Asian Games, Palestine at the 2022 Asian Games, and Palestine at the Asian Games, Wikipedia. All-time cumulative rank of 44th per the same source.

Palestine’s Strongest Sports

Karate and boxing are Palestine’s only medal-producing Asian Games sports, one bronze apiece across the country’s history. Football consistently fields the largest delegation and carries the highest national profile, though it has not produced an Asian Games medal. Taekwondo has an internationally recognized athlete in Paris 2024 Olympian Omar Yaser Ismail, though he has not yet medaled at the Asian Games.

Palestine’s Official Squads by Sport

No official 2026 Asian Games roster has been published by the Palestine Olympic Committee as of this writing.

Confirmed via official federation/media sources

Sport	Key Named Athletes	Status
No individually named 2026 Asian Games athletes have been officially confirmed for Palestine.

Reported but not yet formally finalized

Sport	Notes
Taekwondo	Omar Yaser Ismail, a Paris 2024 Olympian and Palestine’s most internationally prominent recent athlete, has no confirmed 2026 Asian Games selection but is a plausible contender

Team confirmed, no roster yet / not found

Sports
Football, Karate, Boxing, Athletics, Swimming, Judo, Ju-Jitsu, Wrestling, Weightlifting, Triathlon, Gymnastics, Beach Volleyball, Golf, Esports

Note on sourcing: Palestinian sports federations and the Palestine Olympic Committee have reported severe disruption to the country’s sports infrastructure and personnel amid the Gaza war, including athlete and coach deaths documented by multiple outlets. No source directly ties this disruption to specific 2026 Asian Games squad decisions, so this page reports the broader context factually without asserting a direct causal link to roster size.

Storylines to Watch

A program under severe strain: Palestinian sports federations and documentation projects have reported hundreds of athletes killed and extensive destruction of sports facilities during the Gaza war, a grim backdrop to any 2026 Games preparation.

Omar Yaser Ismail’s profile: Palestine’s most recognizable current athlete, a Paris 2024 Olympic taekwondo competitor, would be a headline name if selected for 2026.

Building on a second-ever medal: Hala Al-Qadi’s 2023 karate bronze was just Palestine’s second Asian Games medal in over three decades of competition.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many Asian Games medals has Palestine won?

Two, both bronze: Munir Abu-Keshek in boxing at the 2002 Busan Games, and Hala Al-Qadi in karate at the 2022/23 Hangzhou Games.

What is Palestine’s strongest sport at the Asian Games?

Karate and boxing are the only sports to have produced a medal for Palestine, one bronze each. Football fields the largest delegation but has not medaled.

Has Palestine’s 2026 Asian Games roster been announced?

No. No official roster has been published by the Palestine Olympic Committee, and the country’s sports program has faced severe disruption amid the ongoing Gaza war.