India eFootball team eliminated from Asian Games after forfeit rule

India’s eFootball duo, Danial Patel and Chinmay Sahoo, have been eliminated from the 2026 Asian Games following a controversial forfeit rule. The elimination occurred in Group F after the Mongolian team arrived three minutes past the scheduled check-in time at the Aichi Sky Expo.

Under competition regulations, officials awarded India a 0-0 forfeit victory rather than allowing the match to be played. While India protested the decision, officials maintained that the rules required a forfeit. This result left India with a goal differential of zero, preventing them from advancing as one of the best second-placed teams. Thailand and Saudi Arabia secured the qualifying spots with goal differentials of +3 and +2, respectively.

Prior to the incident, India had drawn 0-0 against Uzbekistan. Uzbekistan subsequently defeated Mongolia 2-0 across mobile and console matches, gaining a decisive advantage in goal difference. The outcome has sparked frustration among Indian fans on social media, with some calling the situation unfair.