India's campaign at the 2026 Asian Games got underway on Thursday, September 17, two days before the official opening ceremony in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, with teqball marking the country's first event of the Games. The sport, making its Asian Games debut, saw India field three athletes across three of its five medal events.
What Is Teqball and Why Does Its Inclusion Matter
Teqball is a football-based sport played on a curved table, where two players or pairs use only their feet, head, chest or other body parts, without hands or arms, to return the ball over a net-free curved surface. According to the Olympic Council of Asia, teqball and padel were officially added as medal sports for the 20th Asian Games in a circular issued by OCA Director General Husain Al Musallam in March 2026.
The sport's inclusion at Aichi-Nagoya 2026 follows a rapid expansion across Asian multi-sport events. The International Teqball Federation (FITEQ) confirmed in a February 2026 announcement that teqball had already featured as a medal sport at the Asian Youth Games in Bahrain and the Southeast Asian Games in Thailand, with further appearances scheduled at the Asian Beach Games in China and the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in Saudi Arabia. FITEQ Secretary General Laszlo Vajda said the sport's addition to the Asian Games was "another major achievement and recognition in the global reach" of teqball, adding that its presence across Asian multi-sport events supports the federation's ambition of eventual Olympic recognition.
At Aichi-Nagoya 2026, teqball features five medal events - men's and women's singles, men's and women's doubles, and mixed doubles - contested from September 17 to 20. Each event begins with a round-robin group stage before progressing to knockout rounds that include a repechage system.
India's Teqball Squad and Campaign
India entered three athletes in teqball at the 2026 Asian Games. Declan Marshall Gonsalves and Mohamed Anas Imran Beg competed together in men's doubles, marking India's first appearance in action at the Games. Beg also partnered Quimcy Dsouza in mixed doubles, while Dsouza additionally competed in women's singles.
India's men's doubles campaign concluded at the group stage. Gonsalves and Beg lost both of their Group B matches on September 17. They opened with a 10-12, 8-12 defeat to Vietnam's Truong Giang Ba and Anh Khoa Le, a match in which the first game was tied at 10-10 before the Vietnamese pair pulled ahead. The Indian pair then lost 0-2 to South Korea's Junsuk Lee and Taebeen Lee, going down 4-12 and 7-12. The two defeats ended their run without a place in the quarterfinals.
Dsouza's campaign saw significant progression across her events. In women's singles, world No. 24 Dsouza advanced to the semi-finals after winning both of her Group A matches on September 18. She delivered a stunning comeback to upset Japan's top-seeded and world No. 7 Yuina Sakamoto 2-1. After losing the first game 10-12, Dsouza responded by edging Sakamoto 12-11 in the second and sealing the decider 13-11. She then defeated Cambodia's Koemyean DY 2-0 (12-9, 12-7) to top her group, earning a bye in the quarter-finals. Dsouza is scheduled to face Indonesia's Ima Sumaya in the semi-final on Saturday, September 19. In the mixed doubles event, Dsouza and Beg successfully advanced and have qualified for the bronze medal match.
India's Wider Presence at the Games
Teqball's early start meant it featured among the first sports in action for India at the 2026 Asian Games, ahead of the September 19 opening ceremony. The Games run through October 4 in Aichi and Nagoya, with several sports beginning competition before the formal opening, alongside teqball's medal rounds.
Summary
India's teqball campaign at the 2026 Asian Games opened with a group-stage exit in men's doubles, as Declan Gonsalves and Mohamed Anas Imran Beg lost both their matches to Vietnam and South Korea. In contrast, Quimcy Dsouza produced a standout performance to reach the women's singles semi-finals, overcoming Japan's top seed Yuina Sakamoto and Cambodia's Koemyean DY. Dsouza is also slated to compete in the mixed doubles bronze medal match alongside Beg, setting up multiple medal opportunities for India in the sport's Asian Games debut.
Further reading and useful links
Reader questions
Frequently asked questions
What is teqball and how is it played?
Teqball is a football-based sport played on a curved table, where players use their feet, head, chest, or other body parts (excluding hands and arms) to return the ball over a net-free surface.
How did India perform in men's doubles teqball at the 2026 Asian Games?
India's men's doubles pair, Declan Gonsalves and Mohamed Anas Imran Beg, were eliminated in the group stage after losing their matches against Vietnam and South Korea.
How far did Quimcy Dsouza advance in the 2026 Asian Games teqball competition?
Quimcy Dsouza reached the women's singles semi-finals after defeating Japan's top seed Yuina Sakamoto and Cambodia's Koemyean DY. She also qualified for the mixed doubles bronze medal match alongside Mohamed Anas Imran Beg.
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