Asian Games 2026: Teqball kicks off India’s campaign with Anas, Declan and Quimcy in action

India’s 20th Asian Games campaign will begin on Thursday with Mohamed Anas Imran Beg, Declan Marshall Gonsalves and Quimcy Dsouza leading the country in teqball. The sport is one of five disciplines making its debut at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. India’s three-member team will compete in three events: men’s doubles, women’s singles and mixed doubles.

Anas and Declan will form the Indian men’s doubles team in the 24-pair field. Drawn in Group B, they will start against Vietnam’s Truong Giang BA and Anh Khoa before taking on South Korea’s Junsuk Lee and Taebeen Lee.

ASIAN GAMES 2026: FULL REPORT

The Mumbai duo will head into the tournament with a medal already under their belt, having secured bronze at the 2024 World Teqball Championship. They will look to carry that momentum into the Asian Games and advance deep into the competition.

Anas will then partner Quimcy in the mixed doubles, while Quimcy will also compete individually in the women’s singles. The seven-time national champion has been drawn in Pool A and is set to face Japan’s Yuina Sakamoto before facing Cambodia’s Koemyean Dy on September 18.

Technical director Nihar Shah oversees the Indian contingent in Nagoya. All three athletes hail from Mumbai and continue to balance their sporting commitments with full-time jobs.

WHAT IS TEQBALL?

Teqball may be a relatively new sport, but it has already created a unique identity by combining elements of soccer and table tennis. The game was officially introduced to the wider world in 2016, with Brazilian football great Ronaldinho among the notable figures associated with its launch.

The idea originated in Hungary, where three soccer enthusiasts decided to create a way to play soccer on a table. Their concept eventually evolved into teqball, with the first table produced in 2014, and three years later the sport’s international governing body, FITEQ, was founded.

Now, teqball is gearing up for its biggest stage yet, the sport’s debut at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.

HOW IS TEQBALL PLAYED?

The game is played on a specially designed table with a distinctive curved surface, which looks a lot like a table tennis table. However, instead of a light table tennis ball, players use a soccer ball.

The goal is to send the ball over the net and into the opponent’s side using body parts such as feet, thighs, knees, chest and head. Hands and arms are strictly prohibited.

The curved table is one of the defining features of teqball. Its design affects the way the ball bounces and travels, meaning players must constantly anticipate the bounce while maintaining balance, control and accuracy.

Teqball can be played in singles, with one player on each side, or in doubles, where teams of two players compete against each other.

TEQBALL SCORING SYSTEM

A match consists of a maximum of three sets, with the first player or team to reach 12 points taking the set. However, an 11-11 score necessitates a two-point advantage to win the set.

Each round starts with a serve and responsibility for serving changes after every four points. Players then attempt to return the ball to the opposite side without using their hands or arms.

There are also limits on how many times the ball can be played before it goes back over the net. In singles, a player can make up to three touches. In doubles, both teammates are allowed a maximum of three touches together.

One important rule is that players cannot use the same body part for two consecutive touches.

An inning ends with a point when a player fails to make a legal return, lets the ball bounce more than once to his side, sends it out of bounds, or commits another foul. The curved table makes these exchanges particularly challenging as players must account for the ball’s trajectory and bounce.

Doubles adds another tactical element. Teammates must alternate their touches, forcing them to communicate effectively and maintain the correct position during the rally.

MIXTURE OF FOOTBALL AND PRECISION

Teqball may involve a sequence of carefully controlled touches before the player attempts to end the play with an attacking shot. While there is an obvious football influence, the compact playing surface and quick rebounds are crucial for timing, reflexes and accuracy.

The sport has five disciplines: men’s singles, women’s singles, men’s doubles, women’s doubles and mixed doubles. All five events are slated to feature in the 2026 Asian Games.

INDIAN TEQBALL SQUAD AT ASIAN GAMES

Mohamed Anas Imran Beg (Men’s Doubles, Mixed Doubles); Declan Marshall Gonsalves (men’s doubles); Quimcy Dsouza (Women’s Singles, Mixed Doubles).

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Published on:

16 Sep 2026 23:13 IST