The Asian Esports and Mind Sports Games will debut in Kuwait in 2027 as esports leaves the Asian Games program after the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya edition. The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) signed the host city contract with Kuwait in September 2026. About 4,000 athletes are expected to compete in esports and mind sports such as chess. The OCA has not yet announced the titles or dates.
Below are the host details, the decision timeline, and what changes for South Korean players.
Asian Esports and Mind Sports Games: Kuwait Confirmed as Host
The OCA confirmed Kuwait as host of the first Asian Esports and Mind Sports Games during the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in Japan. The event is scheduled for 2027, but the official date is still to be announced.
About 4,000 athletes are expected to travel to Kuwait. The Games will include esports and mind sports such as chess, go, checkers and bridge. No esports titles have been revealed yet.
The OCA is also in talks with the Philippines to host the second edition in 2029. Manila has put itself forward as a host city. The final decision will be made at the 2027 OCA General Assembly in Doha.
The OCA President said the new event will give Asian athletes another chance to show their talent. The OCA has not said why it removed esports from the Asian Games. The event is expected to run every 2 years.
Esports Leaves the Asian Games After 2026
The 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Games will be the last Asian Games with esports as a medal event under current OCA rulings. The next edition, Doha 2030, is not expected to include it.
The Aichi-Nagoya program is not affected. Esports runs across 11 medal events from September 22 to October 2, with more than 30 nations taking part. Titles include League of Legends, Honor of Kings, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, and PUBG Mobile.
Esports has moved quickly through OCA events. It appeared in the Asian Indoor Games from 2007 to 2017. It was a demonstration sport at the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Games. It became a medal sport at the 2022 Hangzhou Games, held in 2023.
Esports is also part of the Asian Youth Games, which it joined in 2025 in Bahrain. The OCA has not announced any change there. Tashkent is due to host the next edition in 2029.
Timeline of the OCA Decision
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| April 2024 | OCA committee discusses new esports events after Hangzhou |
| June 30, 2024 | OCA announces an Asian Games Esports Festival, planned for 2025 |
| November 26, 2024 | Executive Board votes to remove esports after Aichi-Nagoya |
| September 2026 | OCA signs host city contract with Kuwait |
The table shows a plan that changed over 2024. The OCA first announced a festival for 2025 on a biennial schedule. In November 2024, its Executive Board unanimously approved a proposal from its Esports, Martial Arts and Mind Sports Committee. That proposal removed esports from the Asian Games and created a separate Asian Esports and Mind Games. The same meeting approved the idea of an Asian federation for mind sports.
What Changes for South Korean Players
South Korean law links military service exemption to results at certain events. Athletes qualify by placing third or higher at the Olympic Games or first at the Asian Games.
The new Asian Esports and Mind Sports Games do not meet those criteria. Unless the law changes, Aichi-Nagoya will be the last Asian Games where Korean esports players can earn an exemption.
Open Questions Around the New Event
Several details remain unconfirmed. The OCA has not shared the game list, match schedule, or exact dates.
Tencent Esports has been an OCA partner since 2025, under a 10-year deal running through 2035. It supplies the “Esports Competition Solution” used across the 11 medal events in Aichi-Nagoya. Tencent said in January 2026 that it would serve future Asian Games and other major Asian events. Its role in the Kuwait event has not been announced. Its director, Yati Zhang, is the OCA Esports Manager.
Scheduling is another issue. The Esports Nations Cup moved from 2026 to 2027 in Saudi Arabia. Sheep Esports reported that the delay came mainly from tensions in the Middle East. That report also said the two events could crowd the end of 2027.
The OCA plans to share detailed events and schedules at a later date.
