Asian Games 2026: India's full Rugby contingent
India will start their campaign on October 1
A 13-member women’s squad will represent India in rugby sevens at the Asian Games 2026, scheduled to begin on September 19 in Aichi-Nagoya.
The women’s side will be India’s only representatives at the Games, with the men’s team not picked for failing to meet the Sports Ministry’s “selection criteria” for major multi-sports events.
While both the men’s and women’s teams sit outside the top 50 in world rugby rankings, the Indian women’s rugby team are ranked sixth in Asia, while the men are further behind at 12th.
Related: India’s full contingent for Asian Games 2026
In the global rankings, the men’s team sits at 85th, while the women’s side has climbed to 56th in recent months.
The Indian eves last played at the Asia Rugby Emirates Sevens Series 2026, where they finished sixth, and will next compete at the 2026 Asian Games.
Rugby action at the continental event will be held from October 1 to 3 at the Paloma Mizuho Rugby Stadium. India have been drawn in Pool B alongside defending champions China, Malaysia and Hong Kong.
Teams will face each other once in a round-robin format; the top two will advance to the semi-finals, while the bottom two will compete for final positions in classification matches. Japan, Thailand, Kazakhstan and Singapore are the teams in Pool A.
Related: Asian Games: India women’s rugby sevens begin Kolkata camp
What is India’s rugby contingent for Asian Games 2026?
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Of India’s 13-member squad, six— including captain Shikha Yadav and vice-captain Dumini Marandi—were also part of the 2022 edition in Hangzhou, giving the contingent a strong sense of continuity.
India’s presence at the Asian Games itself is part of a longer journey. Women’s rugby sevens made its Asian Games debut at Guangzhou in 2010, when India fielded its first official national women’s sevens team. After missing out in 2014 and 2018, the team returned at Hangzhou 2022 with a seventh-place finish.
India’s Rugby squad for Asian Games 2026
- Amandeep Kaur
- Guriya Kumari
- Ujjwala Ramdas Ghuge
- Parbati Hansdah
- Arti Kumari
- Dumuni Marndi (VC)
- Vaishnavi Dattatray Patil
- Kalyani Krishnat Patil
- Sandhya Rai
- Nirmalya Rout
- Bhumika Shukla
- Sandhyarani Tudu
- Shikha Yadav (C)
What is India’s rugby squad for Asian Games 2026?
India have named a 13-member squad for the women’s rugby sevens event at the Asian Games.
Amandeep Kaur, Guriya Kumari, Ujjwala Ramdas Ghuge, Parbati Hansdah, Arti Kumari, Dumuni Marndi (VC), Vaishnavi Dattatray Patil, Kalyani Krishnat Patil, Sandhya Rai, Nirmalya Rout, Bhumika Shukla, Sandhyarani Tudu, Shikha Yadav (C)
Where and when will the rugby sevens event take place at the Asian Games 2026?
The event will be held from October 1 to 3, with matches set to be played at the Mizuho Rugby Stadium in Nagoya, Japan.
How many teams are participating in the women’s rugby sevens event at Asian Games 2026?
A total of eight teams will compete for medals in the women’s rugby sevens event at Asian Games 2026. They are — Japan, China, Thailand, Hong Kong, Kazakhstan, India, Singapore and Malaysia.
What is India’s Pool in the women’s rugby sevens event at the Asian Games 2026?
India have been drawn in Pool B alongside China, Hong Kong and Malaysia.
When will India start its campaign in the women’s rugby sevens event at the Asian Games 2026?
India will start its campaign on October 1 against Hong Kong.
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