India Kabaddi Gold Secured: Men Beat Iran 40-34 to Retain Asian Games Crown
NAGOYA, JAPAN: India retained the men’s kabaddi gold medal at the 2026 Asian Games on Saturday, September 26, defeating Iran 40-34 in the final at the Tokai Citizens Gymnasium. The result gave India its ninth Asian Games gold in men’s kabaddi and completed a golden double after the women’s team also beat Iran earlier in the day. According to Olympics.com, the men’s victory came after India trailed at half-time before taking control of the contest.
The India Kabaddi gold marks another successful title defence for a team that entered the Asian Games 2026 kabaddi competition as the reigning champion. India had also won the men’s title at the Hangzhou Games in 2023.
India Turns Around Tight India Vs Iran Asian Games Final
The India vs Iran Asian Games final was closely contested through the opening half. Iran led India 18-17 at the interval, leaving the defending champions facing a difficult second half.
India responded strongly after the restart. The team steadily moved back in front and built enough separation to prevent Iran from completing a late comeback. The final score, 40-34, gave India a six-point victory and another Asian Games kabaddi title.
The contest also continued a long-running rivalry between the two teams. Iran had won the men’s kabaddi gold at Jakarta in 2018, while India reclaimed the title at Hangzhou five years later.
Asian Games 2026 Kabaddi Delivers Indian Double
The Asian Games 2026 kabaddi competition ended with India winning both available gold medals. Earlier on September 26, the women’s team defeated Iran 37-34 to retain its title.
India’s men had advanced to the final after a strong tournament campaign, while Iran entered the gold-medal match as one of the leading teams in the competition. The final result means India finished the men’s event unbeaten.
The India Kabaddi gold also increases the country’s combined Asian Games kabaddi gold tally to 14 across the men’s and women’s competitions. The men’s team now has nine gold medals, while the women’s team has five.
India’s Successful Title Defence
The India vs Iran Asian Games rivalry has produced several important matches at the continental tournament, and the 2026 final added another chapter.
For India, the victory preserves its hold on the men’s kabaddi title after the team’s success at Hangzhou. The Asian Games 2026 kabaddi campaign also saw India post convincing wins in the group stage before negotiating the knockout rounds and reaching the final.
The wider Indian campaign at the Games has attracted attention across several sports, following the country’s preparations for the competition earlier this month, including its cricket title defences covered in the Asian Games 2026 campaign.
What The Gold Means For India
The India Kabaddi gold gives the country another continental title while reinforcing its record in men’s kabaddi at the Asian Games.
The India vs Iran Asian Games final also ensured that both Indian kabaddi teams finished their 2026 campaigns as champions. With the competition now concluded, India leaves the Asian Games 2026 kabaddi tournament with gold in both events and a successful defence of its men’s title.
