Asian Games 2026 Esports: S8UL's Gurashish Singh And Prateek Bhaunt Qualify For Tekken 8 And Street Fighter 6

S8UL Esports players Gurashish Singh (Soul) and Prateek Bhaunt (B Haunt) have qualified for Asian Games 2026. Gurashish Singh will play Tekken 8, while Prateek Bhaunt will compete in Street Fighter 6. Both secured places after winning their events at the National Esports Championships 2026 (NESC 2026).

The Asian Games 2026 are scheduled in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from September 19 to October 4. Esports will include 11 titles at the Games. It follows esports appearing in Jakarta-Palembang 2018 as a demonstration event. Esports then became a medal sport at the Hangzhou Asian Games in 2023.

Gurashish Singh became India’s Tekken 8 national champion at NESC 2026. Prateek Bhaunt took top honours in Street Fighter 6 at the same event. The tournament served as the official qualifier for India’s esports contingent. Gurashish Singh had earlier represented India at the BRICS Esports Tournament 2025.

Street Fighter, Tekken, and King of Fighters will be played under Competitive Martial Arts. This category will count as a single medal event. The format places multiple fighting game series into one combined medal contest. The structure adds extra weight to selection results from NESC 2026 for Team India.

"Representing India at the Asian Games is something every athlete dreams of. I've had the opportunity to wear the Indian jersey before at the BRICS Esports Tournament, but qualifying for the Asian Games is on a completely different level. The support I've received through S8UL's Fighting Games Talent Hunt Program has played a huge role in my journey, giving me access to coaching, tournament opportunities, and the resources needed to compete consistently. I'm grateful for the trust placed in me and fully focused on preparing to make India proud on the continental stage."

"Winning NESC and earning the chance to represent India at the Asian Games is one of the biggest achievements of my career so far. The Fighting Games Talent Hunt Program gave me an opportunity that very few players in the ecosystem have had access to, and it has helped me grow tremendously as a competitor. I am excited for the challenge ahead and determined to give my best for the country,"

Asian Games 2026 pathway: S8UL Esports Gauntlet and NESC 2026 support

Both players joined S8UL through the S8UL Gauntlet talent hunt programme. The programme focused on scouting and building fighting game talent. It aimed to provide coaching and long-term support. S8UL described it as a way to help players compete more regularly. Their NESC 2026 wins became a key outcome of that system.

Under the initiative, six selected athletes receive structured backing. Support includes professional coaching and paid entries for tournaments. It also covers travel support and a monthly stipend. Athletes also join S8UL’s content ecosystem. Along with Soul and B Haunt, the group includes Ansh Arora, Prince, Mohammad Sameer, and Nakul Sharma.

These six players are part of S8UL’s Esports World Cup (EWC) 2026 campaign. They are competing in qualification pathways across Fatal Fury, Street Fighter 6, and Tekken 8. The aim is to earn places at EWC 2026. S8UL also qualified for EWC 2026 in Chess, Fortnite, and Honor of Kings.

S8UL was named a Club Partner by the Esports Foundation for a second straight year. The organisation said its EWC 2026 campaign is powered by Campa Energy as Title Sponsor. S8UL linked the results to investment in player development. It also pointed to wider work in building Indian esports representation across events.

"From the very beginning, the idea behind the S8UL Gauntlet was simple: identify talented fighting game players, give them access to the resources they need, and help them compete at the highest level. Seeing Soul and B Haunt qualify for the Asian Games is a direct outcome of that effort. Both of them have put in an immense amount of work over the past year, and they’ve made the most of every opportunity available to them. Representing India at an event of this scale is a huge achievement, and we’re proud to see them carry Indian fighting games onto one of the biggest stages in international sport."

Outside fighting games, S8UL also advanced in League of Legends qualifiers. The NESC 2026-winning roster included Akshaj Shenoy, Aakash Shandilya, Sanindhya Malik, Mihir Ranjan, Ahmed Shahid, and Rahul Bisht. The team will play regional qualifiers from June 12 to 14. Four members played at Hangzhou, finishing fifth.

S8UL’s latest NESC 2026 results placed the organisation in multiple qualification routes. Gurashish Singh and Prateek Bhaunt will represent India at Asian Games 2026 in two major fighting titles. The wider S8UL group continues EWC 2026 qualification attempts. League of Legends also moved forward into regional qualifiers, adding to the organisation’s current international schedule.