Aichi-Nagoya: India will face Iran in the women’s kabaddi final at the Asian Games 2026 on Saturday, September 26, with the Indian team aiming to defend its gold medal in the continental competition.
The women’s kabaddi final will be played at the Tokai Citizens Gymnasium in Tokai City. The match is scheduled to begin at 9.30 am IST. Indian viewers can watch the live telecast on the Sony Sports Network, while live streaming will be available through SonyLIV.
India entered the final after defeating Nepal 48-24 in the semi-final on Friday. Iran also advanced to the title clash, setting up a repeat meeting between the two teams after their group-stage encounter earlier in the tournament.
When is India vs Iran women’s kabaddi final?
The India vs Iran women’s kabaddi final will take place on Saturday, September 26, 2026.
The match will be held at the Tokai Citizens Gymnasium in Tokai City, Japan.
The final is scheduled to start at 9.30 am IST. The fixture is part of the kabaddi medal events on Day 7 of the Asian Games 2026.
The men’s kabaddi final between India and Iran is scheduled later on the same day at 2.30 pm IST.
Where to watch India vs Iran women’s kabaddi final live?
Indian fans have two main options to follow the women’s kabaddi final.
Live telecast: Sony Sports Network
Live streaming: SonyLIV app and website
The Asian Games 2026 is being broadcast in India through the Sony Sports network, with SonyLIV providing digital streaming. Sony Sports 3 is carrying coverage in Hindi, while Sony Sports 4 is providing Tamil, Telugu and Kannada coverage for the Games.
The broadcast information is based on details provided by the broadcaster and reported by NDTV Sports.
India reach final after beating Nepal
India booked its place in the women’s kabaddi final with a convincing 48-24 victory over Nepal in the semi-final.
The Indian women’s team had already secured a medal by reaching the last four and continued its unbeaten campaign with another strong performance against Nepal. The result put the defending champions into the gold-medal match against Iran.
India’s route to the final included an unbeaten group-stage campaign. The team began its tournament with a victory over Bangladesh before facing Iran and Japan in Group A.
In the group-stage match against Iran on September 23, India recorded a 37-23 victory. India subsequently defeated Japan before progressing to the knockout stage.
India aiming to defend Asian Games gold
India are the defending women’s kabaddi champions at the Asian Games.
The Indian women’s team won gold at the 2010, 2014 and 2022 editions, while it secured silver at the 2018 Asian Games. The 2026 campaign therefore provides the team with an opportunity to add another medal to its record in the continental competition.
The team is coached by Neeta Dadwe and Mamtha Poojari, with Pushpa Rana serving as captain. Sanju Devi, who was named the Most Valuable Player at the 2025 Women’s Kabaddi World Cup, is also part of the Indian squad.
The Indian team has maintained a strong run throughout the tournament, winning each of its matches on the way to Saturday’s final.
India and Iran have already met in the tournament
Saturday’s final will be the second meeting between India and Iran at the 2026 Asian Games.
The teams faced each other during the preliminary group stage on September 23. India won that contest 37-23, giving the defending champions a positive result against their final opponents before the knockout rounds.
However, the group-stage result does not determine the outcome of the final, with both teams entering the gold-medal match as the last two sides remaining in the women’s kabaddi competition.
The final will therefore provide a separate contest for the Asian Games gold medal.
India remained unbeaten in group stage
India began its campaign against Bangladesh and produced a comfortable victory. The team then defeated Iran before completing its group-stage schedule against Japan.
The match against Japan was particularly one-sided. India led 32-13 at half-time and added another 18 points in the second half. The Indian side finished the group phase unbeaten and moved into the semi-finals.
The team’s defensive organisation and attacking output have been key features of its campaign. India collected 37 raid points, seven bonus points and six all-out points in its group-stage match against Japan, according to NDTV Sports.
What is at stake in the final?
The winner of the India-Iran final will claim the women’s kabaddi gold medal at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.
For India, the match represents an opportunity to retain the title won at Hangzhou 2022. The Indian women’s team has won three Asian Games gold medals in the sport and has medalled in every edition it has entered, according to the tournament background provided by NDTV Sports.
Iran, meanwhile, will attempt to prevent India from completing another gold-medal campaign.
The teams’ earlier meeting gives India a recent victory over Iran, but the final will be decided by Saturday’s performance at the Tokai Citizens Gymnasium.
India vs Iran women’s kabaddi final: Full details
Match: India vs Iran, Women’s Kabaddi Final
Competition: Asian Games 2026
Date: Saturday, September 26, 2026
Venue: Tokai Citizens Gymnasium, Tokai City, Japan
Start time: 9.30 am IST
Live telecast: Sony Sports Network
Live streaming: SonyLIV app and website
India will enter the final after an unbeaten run through the group stage and a 48-24 semi-final win over Nepal. Iran will be the final opponent in the battle for the women’s kabaddi gold medal.
With the women’s final scheduled for the morning and the men’s gold-medal match between India and Iran later in the afternoon, kabaddi will be one of the key events for the Indian contingent on September 26.