India will field a fresh batch of wrestlers at the 2026 U23 World Wrestling Championships in Las Vegas, USA, from October 12 to 18, following a rigorous national selection process. However, visa delays have raised concerns over the participation of several wrestlers in the women’s wrestling and Greco-Roman categories.
The Indian contingent features domestic trial winners across men’s freestyle, women’s wrestling and Greco-Roman, with Rohit leading the men’s freestyle team in the 57kg category, Sweety headlining the women’s 53kg category and Vishvajit Ramchandra More spearheading the Greco-Roman squad in the 55kg category.
WFI Selects Fresh Squad for U23 World Championships
The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) has opted for an entirely fresh roster for the Las Vegas competition, in line with its policy of fielding separate squads for closely scheduled international assignments.
The approach, enforced during the recent Asian Games and Senior World Championship selection trials, aims to prevent leading wrestlers from overlapping between senior and age-group competitions. As a result, the Las Vegas-bound squad comprises wrestlers who earned their places through the national trials.
For the young Indian wrestlers, the U23 World Championships offer an important opportunity to compete against international opponents and gain valuable experience as they progress towards the senior level.
Visa Delays Pose Challenge for Indian Wrestling Team
Despite completing the selection process, the Indian contingent faces an administrative hurdle ahead of the championships.
According to the information released by the federation, the full 10-member men’s freestyle squad has received clearance to travel to the United States. However, the final participation of wrestlers in women’s wrestling and Greco-Roman remains uncertain, with several athletes awaiting US visa clearances.
The delay could affect India’s representation in these two categories if the pending clearances are not completed in time for the competition.
India’s Squad for U23 World Wrestling Championships 2026
Men’s Freestyle
India’s 10-member men’s freestyle squad is confirmed for the competition.
- 57kg: Rohit
- 61kg: Vaibhav Narayan Patil
- 65kg: Singh Jaskaran
- 70kg: Sumit Kumar Laxman Bharaskar
- 74kg: Adarsh Yuvraj Patil
- 79kg: Chandermohan
- 86kg: Amit
- 92kg: Nikhil
- 97kg: Shivam
- 125kg: Ronak
Rohit will lead India’s challenge in the 57kg category as the men’s freestyle team looks to make an impact on the world stage.
Women’s Wrestling
India’s women’s wrestling squad consists of five wrestlers, although their final participation remains subject to visa clearance.
- 53kg: Sweety
- 59kg: Komal
- 68kg: Mansi Lather
- 72kg: Amruta Shashikant Pujari
- 76kg: Diksha Malik
Sweety will spearhead the women’s contingent in the 53kg category, with the team aiming to make the most of its opportunity at the global age-group championships.
Greco-Roman
India has selected five wrestlers for the Greco-Roman competition.
- 55kg: Vishvajit Ramchandra More
- 63kg: Chetan
- 67kg: Sagar Singh
- 72kg: Sourav Rana
- 87kg: Karan Kamboj
Vishvajit Ramchandra More will lead the Greco-Roman challenge in the 55kg category. The participation of the selected wrestlers will depend on the completion of the remaining visa formalities.
U23 World Wrestling Championships 2026: Schedule
The championships will take place in Las Vegas across three competition phases.
| Category | Dates |
|---|---|
| Greco-Roman | October 12–14 |
| Women’s Wrestling | October 14–16 |
| Men’s Freestyle | October 16–18 |
The tournament begins with Greco-Roman wrestling on October 12, followed by the women’s events from October 14. Men’s freestyle action will conclude the competition between October 16 and 18.
A Crucial Opportunity for India’s Next Generation
The U23 World Wrestling Championships represent an important stage in the development of India’s emerging wrestling talent. The competition will give the selected wrestlers an opportunity to measure themselves against some of the world’s best young grapplers and gain experience at a major international tournament.
While the confirmed men’s freestyle contingent is set to travel, the remaining visa clearances will be crucial in determining India’s final representation across all three categories.
With a fresh squad selected through national trials, India will look to make the most of its opportunities in Las Vegas as its next generation of wrestlers seeks to establish itself on the international stage.
