Aichi-Nagoya: India’s men’s kabaddi team defeated Iran 40-34 in a thrilling final at the Asian Games 2026 on Saturday to retain the gold medal and complete a memorable kabaddi double for the country.
The victory at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games gave India its ninth men’s kabaddi gold medal in the history of the continental event. It was also the team’s second consecutive gold after India reclaimed the title at the Hangzhou Games in 2023.
The final was closely contested, with Iran leading 18-17 at half-time. India then produced a strong second-half performance to take control of the match and finish with a six-point victory.
Earlier in the day, India’s women’s kabaddi team had also defeated Iran in the final to secure gold. The women won 37-34, meaning both Indian teams overcame the same opponent to claim the two kabaddi titles on offer at the Games.
India overcome Iran in closely fought final
The men’s final proved to be a test of India’s ability to respond under pressure.
Iran held a narrow 18-17 advantage at the interval, keeping the contest finely balanced after the opening half. India, however, returned after the break with greater control and gradually opened up the gap.
The Indian team eventually finished the match with a 40-34 scoreline, completing the defence of the title they had won at Hangzhou in 2023.
The result also continued India’s strong record in Asian Games kabaddi. The men’s team had won seven consecutive gold medals before their run ended at the 2018 Jakarta Games, where Iran took the title and India finished fourth.
India returned to the top at Hangzhou in 2023 and followed that victory by retaining the championship in Aichi-Nagoya.
Men’s team completes title defence
India entered the 2026 competition as defending champions and remained unbeaten through the tournament.
The team recorded victories during the group stage before producing another commanding performance in the semi-final. India defeated Thailand 66-28 in the last-four clash on September 25 to set up the final against Iran.
The final represented a considerably tougher challenge, with Iran keeping India within reach during the first half.
India’s ability to recover from the one-point half-time deficit proved decisive. The second-half comeback allowed the team to turn the contest around and secure another Asian Games gold.
The victory also maintained India’s position at the top of the men’s kabaddi medal record at the Asian Games. Before the 2026 final, India had won eight men’s kabaddi gold medals, with the only interruption coming in 2018.
India completes kabaddi gold double
The men’s victory came several hours after India’s women’s team had also beaten Iran in the women’s final.
India defeated Iran 37-34 in a closely contested match to retain the women’s kabaddi title. The Indian team had taken control early and managed to withstand Iran’s challenge through the remainder of the contest.
The women’s victory was particularly significant in the context of India’s Asian Games record. India had won the women’s kabaddi gold in 2010 and 2014 before finishing with silver in 2018 after losing to Iran.
The team returned to the top at the Hangzhou Games and successfully defended its title in Aichi-Nagoya.
With both teams defeating Iran in their respective finals, India completed a clean sweep of the kabaddi gold medals at the 2026 Asian Games.
Iran remains India’s key kabaddi rival
Iran has been one of India’s strongest opponents in Asian Games kabaddi, with the two countries meeting in several important matches over the years.
The rivalry was particularly notable in 2018, when Iran ended India’s long-running dominance in the men’s event. Iran also defeated the Indian women’s team in the women’s final at the same Games.
India subsequently reclaimed both titles in the following editions.
The 2026 finals once again brought the two countries together, but this time India emerged victorious in both the men’s and women’s competitions.
The men’s final was particularly important for India because it represented an opportunity to defend the title won in Hangzhou and restore continuity after the disruption to the team’s earlier gold-medal streak.
India’s men’s kabaddi gold history
India’s men have dominated Asian Games kabaddi since the sport became part of the competition.
The team won gold in seven successive editions before finishing fourth at Jakarta 2018. Iran won the title in Jakarta, while India missed out on the medal positions.
India returned strongly at Hangzhou 2023, winning the gold medal and reclaiming the championship.
The 40-34 victory over Iran in Aichi-Nagoya now gives India nine men’s kabaddi gold medals at the Asian Games.
The achievement also adds another chapter to India’s broader record in kabaddi, where the country has consistently been among the leading teams at the continental level.
Indian players celebrate after final
After securing the gold medal, the Indian players celebrated their victory on the mat and around the arena.
The triumph capped a demanding campaign in which India remained unbeaten and successfully navigated the group stage, semi-final and final.
The result also gave India another gold medal at the ongoing Aichi-Nagoya Games, while the women’s victory earlier in the day ensured that both Indian kabaddi teams finished the competition as champions.
For the men, the victory was the culmination of a campaign that began with the objective of defending the title and ended with India once again defeating Iran in the final.
Kabaddi double adds to India’s Asian Games campaign
The two kabaddi gold medals provide India with a significant boost in the ongoing Asian Games campaign.
The men’s team’s 40-34 victory and the women’s 37-34 win came on the same day, creating a rare double triumph for Indian kabaddi at the continental tournament.
The results also underline the depth of Indian kabaddi across both men’s and women’s competitions.
While the men restored their dominance after the 2018 setback, the women continued their successful run after reclaiming the title in 2023.
India’s latest kabaddi success therefore combines title defence, a historic rivalry with Iran and the return of both teams to the top of the Asian Games podium.