S8UL Esports’ League of Legends roster has officially qualified to represent India at the 20th Asian Games. The event is scheduled to take place in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from September 19 to October 4, 2026. Esports will feature as a full medal sport at the Games, continuing its integration into continental sporting events after debuting as a demonstration event in 2018 and becoming a full medal sport at the Hangzhou Asian Games.
The team secured its qualification through regional qualifiers, following an earlier victory at the National Esports Championships (NESC) 2026, which served as the official national qualification tournament for the Asian Games.
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S8UL Qualification Pathway and Roster
The Indian League of Legends contingent, competing under the national banner, consists of Akshaj Shenoy (Kat Bot), Aakash Shandilya (Infi), Sanindhya Malik (Deadcorporal), Mihir Ranjan (Lotus), Ahmed Shahid (Nero), and Rahul Bisht (Bob).
In the regional qualifiers, which involved 14 teams, India’s team was drawn into Group B. They advanced from the round-robin Group Stage with an unbeaten record, securing victories against Jordan, Sri Lanka, and Kazakhstan. While the team faced setbacks in the subsequent Split Stage against Vietnam, Hong Kong, and Saudi Arabia, their overall performance was sufficient to secure one of the qualification slots for the Aichi-Nagoya main event. The squad will now compete against established League of Legends nations, including Japan, Chinese Taipei, and Vietnam.
Notably, four members of the current roster – Akshaj Shenoy (Kat Bot), Aakash Shandilya (Infi), Sanindhya Malik (Deadcorporal), and Mihir Ranjan (Lotus) – previously represented India at the Hangzhou Asian Games 2023, where the team achieved a fifth-place finish. Their participation in Aichi-Nagoya marks their second appearance on the continental stage.
Akshaj Shenoy, captain of India’s League of Legends team, acknowledged the competitive nature of the regional qualifiers and expressed the team’s gratitude for the support provided by S8UL (https://s8ul.gg/), stating that qualifying for the Asian Games was a significant achievement.
S8UL’s Broader Esports Presence
The qualification of the League of Legends team adds to S8UL’s growing representation of Indian athletes on the international stage. Earlier, Gurashish Singh (Soul) and Prateek Bhaunt (B Haunt) from S8UL also secured qualification for the Asian Games in Tekken 8 and Street Fighter 6, respectively, after winning their events at NESC 2026.
Beyond the Asian Games, S8UL is also participating in the Esports World Cup (EWC) 2026 as a Club Partner. The organization has secured qualification in Apex Legends, Chess, Fortnite, and Honor of Kings for the EWC, while continuing to compete across qualification pathways in several other titles.
Animesh Agarwal, Co-founder and CEO of S8UL, emphasized the organization’s objective to facilitate opportunities for Indian athletes to compete globally. He highlighted the team’s resilience and commitment to improvement as key factors in their success.
S8UL stated its continued investment in player development and professional support systems, aiming to enhance India’s presence within the global esports landscape. For more information on ongoing industry developments and the latest esports news, readers can visit TechnoSports (https://technosports.co.in/).
