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Preview: Archers set for Bangkok as Asia Cup opens 2026 outdoor season

20 March 2026

Bangkok, Thailand

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Competitors marking their scores at the Bangkok 2025 Asia Cup.

The 2026 Asia Cup begins in Bangkok, as archers from across the continent gather for the first stage of the season from 21 to 28 March.

As the opening stage of the continental circuit, the event provides an opportunity for athletes to test their form following the indoor season. Competition will be held at the Sports Authority of Thailand Football Stadium, with targets set at the standard 70-metre recurve and 50-metre compound distances.

World ranking points are available, and with a packed international calendar ahead – including preparations for the Asian Games later this year – performances in Bangkok could prove crucial for athletes looking to establish themselves at the start of the season.

As with most Asia Cup stages, the event features a mix of experienced competitors and developing talent. Nations such as India, China and Bangladesh headline the field, while Oceania is represented by Australia. Slovenia also joins as a guest nation, adding a European presence. Notably, Korea, one of the sport’s dominant nations, is absent as it continues its domestic selection trials.

The Asia Cup has long served as a proving ground for emerging archers, and the opening stage offers a platform for new names to make their mark on the international circuit. Among those to watch is Most Kulsum Akther Mone, an 18-year-old from Bangladesh currently ranked 73rd in the world.

Akther Mone’s breakthrough season in 2025 established her as one of the region’s rising talents. She claimed an individual bronze medal at the Asian Archery Championships in Dhaka and contributed to Bangladesh’s compound mixed team silver medal.

India, traditionally one of the strongest performers on the Asia Cup circuit, will once again be among the leading contenders. Rishabh Yadav, currently ranked fourth in the world, headlines the compound field and will be looking to build momentum early in the season as part of preparations for a busy international year.

The season starts here – but who will set the pace?

Key information

What’s happening? The first stage of the 2026 Asia Cup runs from 21 to 28 March in Bangkok, Thailand.

What’s at stake? World ranking points and early-season momentum in a year that will shape continental hierarchies.

Who’s competing? 194 archers from 19 countries are competing, alongside individual neutral athletes (AIN).

What’s the story? As the outdoor season begins, the Asia Cup once again acts as a key testing ground for teams preparing for a busy international year, with early results offering insight into form and selection battles.