Esports Foundation and JioBLAST Unite for ‘India Rising: Road to EWC’ Ahead of Esports World Cup 2026

Bengaluru Welcomes ‘India Rising: Road to EWC’ – A New Era for Indian Esports

Bengaluru, India – In a groundbreaking move for the Indian esports landscape, the Esports Foundation (EF) and JioBLAST announced a strategic partnership on Monday to launch ‘India Rising: Road to EWC’. This national competition pathway and festival aims to pave the way for Indian gamers ahead of the Esports World Cup 2026 (EWC), the largest esports and gaming event globally.

The initiative will invite all titled Indian players to participate in a closed qualifier section of ‘India Rising’. With over 10,000 grassroots players expected to sign up for open registration, the competition promises to be a significant milestone in the journey of Indian esports.

The festival will take place offline in Mumbai, where attendees can witness the thrilling chess finals alongside a vibrant array of creator programming, entertainment, and interactive fan experiences. The grand finals will culminate in a LAN event, with the winner earning a coveted spot in the EWC 2026 chess main event, set to be held in Riyadh from August 11-15, 2026.

Charlie Cowdrey, CEO of JioBLAST, expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership, stating, “India has the second biggest gaming base and one of the most passionate gaming communities in the world, but what has been missing is a clear and credible pathway from India into the biggest global stages. Partnering with the Esports World Cup to build ‘India Rising: Road to EWC’ will change that.”

The partnership will be formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at developing the esports ecosystem in India, with ‘India Rising’ serving as a long-term flagship property connected to the EWC.

India is rapidly emerging as a powerhouse in the global gaming market, with projections indicating that the player base will exceed 500 million by 2026, and player spending is expected to surpass $1 billion. The majority of this growth is driven by mobile gaming, with approximately 95% of players engaging via mobile devices.

Chess will make a return to the EWC this summer, featuring a $1.5 million prize pool following its successful debut last year, where Magnus Carlsen of Team Liquid claimed the inaugural title. This year, the competition will expand to include a 21-player field, with qualification routes including the ‘India Rising’ pathway, alongside the Champions Chess Tour and Chess.com.

As the countdown to the Esports World Cup 2026 begins, ‘India Rising: Road to EWC’ is set to ignite the passion of Indian gamers and elevate the nation’s presence on the global esports stage.