Basketball at Asian Games 2026: Schedule, Format, and India's Absence

The 2026 Asian Games in Japan will feature basketball 5x5 and 3x3 events from September 21 to October 5. The main venue is the Aichi International Arena in Nagoya, while 3x3 basketball is held at Kinjo Futo Station Square – an outdoor, festival-style space. However, the most notable point of this year's tournament is the absence of the Indian national basketball teams, both men's and women's, due to failing the Ministry of Sports' selection criteria: teams must be ranked in Asia's top eight to be sent. This exposes a harsh reality about India's basketball development gap with the rest of the continent. Regarding format, the men's 5x5 event features 12 teams divided into 3 groups of 4. The top two from each group, plus the three best third-place teams, advance to the quarter-finals – a relatively forgiving format that eliminates only one-third of the field in the group stage. This creates a subtle game of point differential, where teams that lose their opening match must win convincingly in remaining games to hope for advancement. The 3x3 event is completely independent from 5x5, taking place over five separate days (September 21-25) with distinct rules (half-court, 12-second shot clock, 1- and 2-point scoring). In terms of broadcasting, national broadcasters hold the official rights, while asiangamestv.com serves as a fallback platform for global audiences. The original article from Khel Now is a schedule-and-streaming guide, but it hides a bigger story: India's self-exclusion from the continental stage is a worrying signal for the country's basketball development. Analysts suggest the Basketball Federation of India should focus on improving its Asian ranking through FIBA Asia Cup tournaments to re-open the door to future Asian Games. Although the article does not provide player lists or tactical analysis, the information about the format and the context of India's absence is sufficient for experts to assess this as a highly competitive tournament, with hosts Japan playing a central role. The 2026 Asian Games are not only a playground for Asian basketball powers but also an opportunity for emerging basketball nations to assert themselves.