Indian esports players still have a chance to earn a place at the Esports World Cup (EWC) 2026, while the qualification race is already underway.
A new initiative, India Rising: Road to EWC, aims to help Indian players reach the global tournament through a structured qualification process. The program has been launched by the Esports Foundation in partnership with JioBLAST and is expected to serve as a key route for Indian talent across selected esports titles.
The program aims at selecting potential players and providing them with a chance to compete for slots in the EWC. The program also indicates how popular esports from India are globally, with players and teams winning internationally.
How to Apply
Register for Qualifying Events: Register for India Rising, among others, which are EWC qualification events.
Participate in Tournaments: Participate in officially sanctioned tournaments as part of the qualifications process.
Get Official Updates: Look out for official communication regarding registration, timings, and eligibility.
Game Formats: The qualification process might differ from one game to another.
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The qualifying stage has already delivered its first-ever success story from India. Grandmaster Aravindh Chithambaram recently qualified for EWC 2026 by winning the Chess qualifier for the Road to EWC.
Further qualifying rounds will follow in the coming months. Aspiring players who dream of representing their country in one of the largest Esports competitions in the world should keep track of all future tournaments.