Philippines at Asian Games 2026: Obiena, Yulo & a Magnificent Seven
Led by pole vault champion EJ Obiena and gymnastics star Carlos Yulo, the Philippines sends its second-largest delegation ever to Aichi-Nagoya. Here’s what’s confirmed so far about the Philippines’ 2026 squads.
Philippines’ Asian Games Track Record
The Philippines’ gold count has held steady at 4 across both recent editions, though its total medal count dropped from 21 in 2018 to 18 in 2023.
| Edition | Rank | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 Jakarta-Palembang | 19th | 4 | 2 | 15 | 21 |
| 2022/23 Hangzhou | 17th | 4 | 2 | 12 | 18 |
Source: Philippines at the 2018 Asian Games and Philippines at the 2022 Asian Games, Wikipedia.
Philippines’ Strongest Sports
Boxing has been the Philippines’ most consistent Asian Games medal producer across recent editions, alongside ju-jitsu, wushu, weightlifting, karate, taekwondo, golf, and pencak silat. Athletics has become a genuine gold-medal sport thanks to pole vaulter EJ Obiena, while gymnastics is a newer growth area driven almost entirely by the individual rise of Carlos Yulo, who had no Asian Games medal history before becoming a multiple World and Olympic champion.
Philippines’ Official Squads by Sport
The Philippine Olympic Committee and national federations have named full rosters across a wide range of sports for 2026, with a few still finalizing pools closer to the Games.
Confirmed via official federation/media sources
| Sport | Key Named Athletes | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Boxing (“Magnificent 7”) | Carlo Paalam, Eumir Marcial, Nesthy Petecio, Aira Villegas (all Olympic medalists), plus Paul Julyfer Bascon, Marjon Pianar, Riza Pasuit | Confirmed |
| Volleyball (Alas Pilipinas, Men’s & Women’s) | 21-player women’s pool led by Bella Belen, Eya Laure, Alyssa Solomon; 14-player men’s pool led by Bryan Bagunas, Marck Espejo, Jia de Guzman | Confirmed |
| Wushu | Full taolu and sanda rosters led by team leader Agatha Chrytenzen Wong | Confirmed |
| Swimming/Aquatics | 7-member team led by two-time Olympian Kayla Sanchez (flag bearer), plus Xiandi Chua, Logan Wataru Noguchi | Confirmed |
| Esports (Team Sibol, MLBB) | Karl Nepomuceno (“KarlTzy”), Sanford Vinuya, Jaypee dela Cruz, and others | Confirmed |
| Gymnastics | Carlos Yulo, Eldrew Yulo, Miguel Besana, Justine Ace De Leon, Zachary Nunez — per the Gymnastics Association of the Philippines | Confirmed |
Reported but not yet formally finalized
| Sport | Notes |
|---|---|
| Basketball (Gilas Pilipinas) | Coach Tim Cone has been trimming an expanded ~30-player pool; only Justin Arana and Mike Phillips are specifically named in available reporting. No confirmed final roster yet. |
| Athletics | EJ Obiena is the confirmed headline name; the federation plans to send roughly 20 athletes total, but the rest of the roster hasn’t been published. |
| Taekwondo | Only 4 practitioners (2 per discipline) reportedly qualified for the Games team, but the 29-athlete roster found was for the 2026 Asian Championships qualifier, not the confirmed Asiad team. |
| Modern Pentathlon | 6 athletes (4 men, 2 women) confirmed qualified, but individual names were not disclosed. |
| Softball, Football | Both the women’s softball team and the men’s U-23/women’s football teams have confirmed berths, but named rosters were not accessible in available sources. |
Team confirmed, no roster yet / not found
| Sports |
|---|
| Karate, Weightlifting, Dancesport, Sepak Takraw, Cycling, Golf, Skateboarding, Tennis, Roller Sports |
Storylines to Watch
EJ Obiena’s title defense. The defending 2022 Asiad pole vault gold medalist is in strong 2026 form — ranked 14th in the world, with wins at the Asian Indoor Athletics Championships and a 5.76m clearance in a July meet — and is chasing a repeat title.
Carlos Yulo’s all-around pivot. The multiple World and Olympic gymnastics champion skipped the 2025 SEA Games to recover from overtraining and has named the 2026 Asian Games his primary target, planning to compete all-around rather than in a single apparatus, joined by his brother Eldrew Yulo on the squad.
Volleyball’s governance crisis. The Philippine National Volleyball Federation was suspended by the FIVB in May 2026 over governance concerns, prompting the POC itself to step in and directly name and manage the Alas Pilipinas Asian Games pools — a live storyline about whether the teams can compete cleanly amid the dispute.
Boxing’s gold-medal drought. With four of its seven boxers being Olympic medalists, the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines is explicitly targeting the country’s first Asiad boxing gold in a long stretch.
A historic-scale delegation. At roughly 440 athletes across 38 sports, this is the Philippines’ second-largest Asian Games delegation ever, with officials targeting the country’s best result since 1962.