Football at the 2018 Asian Games was held from 14 August to 1 September 2018 in Indonesia.

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) refused to clear the Indian football team to participate in the tournament due its policy of only sending national teams that were ranked among the top eight at the continental level (India were ranked 14th at the time in Asia).

The decision was opposed by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) who described the IOA as lacking "vision and competence", and that the IOA did not consider the recent form and upwards movement of the India national football team in FIFA World Rankings.

This was the first time that the Indian football team did not participate in the tournament since the 1994 Asian Games.

[3] Several nations also refused to participate most notably including Tajikistan, Maldives, Yemen and Lebanon; the latter two teams will participate in 2019 AFC Asian Cup.