Japan will not field a League of Legends team for the 2026 Asian Games, the Japan eSports Union has announced. The decision makes Japan the first host nation in League of Legends history to skip the tournament since its introduction to the Games.
The 2026 Asian Games will take place in Aichi and Nagoya, Japan, from September 23 to October 2. The event will include 11 esports titles, with League of Legends, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, and Honor of Kings among the confirmed games. Specific dates for the League of Legends competition have not yet been released by Riot Games.
Japan’s Non-Participation Confirmed
According to the Japan eSports Union, the country will send players for seven other esports titles at the Games: Pokémon Unite, PUBG Mobile, Identity V, eFootball, Puyo Puyo, Gran Turismo, and various fighting games. League of Legends is not included in this lineup.
The announcement marks a historic absence. In 2018, host nation Indonesia competed in the League of Legends demonstration event in Jakarta. In 2022, China participated as the host country during the Hangzhou Asian Games. Japan previously missed the 2018 tournament but did compete in 2022.
No official reason for Japan’s withdrawal from League of Legends has been provided by the Japan eSports Union.
Thailand Also Opts Out
Japan is the second esports federation to announce non-participation in the League of Legends event. Thailand’s esports federation, TESF, confirmed its withdrawal in early February 2026. The TESF stated that its “operations are aligned with policy and with a budget appropriate to the National Sports Development Fund.” The Thai federation’s announcement received significant criticism in online comments.
Active Domestic Scene Preceded Decision
The decision comes despite recent activity suggesting Japan was preparing for the Asian Games. The country sent a team to South Korea for the KeSPA Cup, an event viewed as an initial selection attempt for the regional competition.
Japan’s domestic League of Legends league, the LJL, remains active. Two Japanese organizations, SoftBank HAWKS gaming and DetonatioN FocusMe, currently compete in the League of Legends Championship Pacific (LCP).
Japan’s Previous Asian Games Performance
Japan’s most recent participation in the League of Legends Asian Games event was in 2022. The Japanese team was eliminated in the group stage following one win against Palestine and one loss to Vietnam.
Yuta “Yutapon” Sugiura served as AD Carry for Japan during the 2022 competition. Sugiura is recognized as the most prominent Japanese player in that lineup, having made four World Championship appearances and three Mid-Season Invitational appearances with DetonatioN FocusMe.
Qualification and Expected Participants
No teams have been officially confirmed for the 2026 Asian Games League of Legends tournament to date.
Jonathan Sirisackda, president of the Lao Esports Federation, has stated that a qualification tournament will take place in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, around mid-June 2026.
South Korea, China, and Chinese Taipei are widely anticipated to compete in Aichi-Nagoya and are considered among the tournament favorites, though their participation has not yet been formally confirmed.