Asian Games 2026: India Spends Rs 800 Crore on Athlete Preparation

Asian Games 2026 preparations have seen the Indian government spend Rs 800.70 crore on athlete training, international competition exposure, equipment, coaches and sports experts, according to expenditure figures released by the Sports Ministry. India is sending 501 athletes across 36 disciplines to the Aichi-Nagoya Games, including 310 Asian Games debutants.

The expenditure covers support provided through the Annual Competition and Training Calendar (ACTC) and the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS). It relates to athlete preparations and does not include the cost of staging the Asian Games in Japan.

Rs 800.70 Crore Spent Through ACTC and TOPS

Of the total expenditure, Rs 702.86 crore was spent through ACTC, while Rs 97.84 crore was provided through TOPS.

International competition exposure accounted for the largest identified expenditure at Rs 251.4 crore. Domestic training accounted for another Rs 118.3 crore.

Together, international competition exposure and domestic training accounted for Rs 369.7 crore. The ministry did not provide separate figures for equipment, coaches and sports experts, or a sport-wise and year-wise breakdown of the total spending.

The expenditure covers preparations undertaken over the past three years, with international competition participation forming the largest individual spending category identified by the ministry.

Also Read: Asian Games 2026 Cricket Schedule: Check Full Fixtures of the Events

India’s Asian Games Contingent Has 501 Athletes

India will field 501 athletes across 36 disciplines, comprising 267 men and 234 women. The contingent also includes 265 support staff, taking the total delegation to 766 people.

Of the 501 athletes, 310 are set to make their Asian Games debut, accounting for about 62% of the athlete contingent.

The athlete count is two fewer than the 503 originally sanctioned after two athletes were dropped following doping violations.

The contingent also includes 65 athletes who have come through the Khelo India programme. Among the younger members are table tennis player Syndrela Das, badminton player Ayush Shetty, squash player Anahat Singh and judoka Asmita Dey.

Cricketer Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, aged 15, is also part of the contingent but is not funded by the Sports Ministry, according to the ministry's information.

Sports Science Teams Support Asian Games Athletes

TOPS has also helped arrange support teams comprising physiotherapists, doctors and mental health experts.

According to N S Johal, CEO of TOPS, sports science personnel account for around one-third of the authorised support staff. Women are represented among the support staff for every team, with 56 women among the 265 support staff members.

The finalisation of support teams took additional time in some cases after federations initially did not nominate enough women, Johal said.

Nine Coordination Meetings Held in 2026

The Target Asian Games Group held nine coordination meetings from January 2026 as preparations were coordinated with national sports federations and support teams.

The preparations have also taken place amid disputes and selection-related issues involving some national sports federations. Johal did not provide details when questioned about administrative difficulties involving some federations.

India Eyes Another Strong Asian Games Medal Haul

India won a record 106 medals at the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, comprising 28 gold, 38 silver and 40 bronze medals. Johal said the current contingent has the momentum to match or improve on that medal tally, while noting that the final performance will depend on the athletes.

The Asian Games 2026 are being held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from September 19 to October 4.