The Esports Foundation (EF) and JioBLAST on May 11 announced a strategic partnership to launch India Rising: Road to EWC, a national competition pathway and a festival hosted in India ahead of the Esports World Cup 2026 (EWC. The future vision of the partnership beyond 2026 will be formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to jointly develop the ecosystem, beginning with India Rising: Road to EWC as a long-term flagship property connected to EWC in India.
Delivered in collaboration with Jio (for use of its digital platforms) and Chess.com, India Rising will feature international nationwide open qualifiers for Chess, culminating in a grand finals held on LAN at the fan festival, with the winner advancing to the EWC 2026 Chess main event, held in Riyadh from August 11-15, 2026. While the 2026 edition introduces Chess as its inaugural competitive title, building on India’s global strength in the game, India Rising: Road to EWC is designed to scale in future years, expanding into multiple esports formats and fan-centric experiences as the platform continues to evolve.
All titled Indian players will be invited to the closed qualifier section of India Rising, with more than 10,000 grassroots players across the country expected to sign up for open registration.
The festival will be held offline in Mumbai, where attendees can experience the India Rising Chess finals alongside creator programming, entertainment, and interactive fan experiences. Additional exhibition matches in VALORANT and Moba Legends: 5v5! will form part of the program, which will bring together competitive esports and live entertainment, featuring live music, cosplay, comedy, interactive gaming zones, and dedicated creator areas for fan engagement.
Charlie Cowdrey, CEO, JioBLAST, said: “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. Starting with Chess.com in 2026, this is about opening the door for Indian talent, building stronger connections between players, fans and publishers, and creating an ecosystem that can grow with the market over time. We are proud to be building it with the Esports Foundation and are excited for what this will become in the future years together.”
India is one of the world’s leading Chess nations, led by a new generation of Grandmasters including Gukesh Dommaraju, Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu, Nihal Sarin, and Arjun Erigaisi. India was represented at the Esports World Cup 2025 by Sarin and Erigaisi, competing for S8UL and Gen.G, respectively, reflecting the country’s impact at the highest level of competition. India is one of the fastest-growing gaming markets globally, expected to surpass 500 million players in 2026, with player spending projected to exceed $1 billion. The market is predominantly mobile, with approximately 95% of players on mobile devices.
Official Trailer Launch Film Link: https://youtu.be/fAl2lnEuxaw
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