Esports Foundation and JioBLAST Announce Strategic Partnership to Launch “India Rising: Road to EWC” Festival
Collaboration establishes an official national pathway to the Esports World Cup 2026, led by Chess, with more than 10,000 players expected to compete in qualifiers ahead of the live festival in Mumbai.
The Esports Foundation (EF) and JioBLAST has today 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 world’s largest esports and gaming event. 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.
“The Esports World Cup’s purpose is to unite the global gaming community, and that means investing in regions shaping the future of the industry,” said Mohammed Al Nimer, Chief Commercial Officer of the Esports Foundation. “India is central to that vision. With hundreds of millions of players, it is home to leading chess talent, elite championship Clubs to digital platforms redefining how fans engage with esports. Through partnership with JioBlast, we are creating new opportunities for Indian players to compete at the highest level, while bringing the EWC closer to its fans in the country.”
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.
Avadh Shah, Country Director - India, Chess.com, said:
“India is one of the most exciting chess communities in the world, with incredible depth of talent across both the grassroots and elite levels. We’re proud to partner on India Rising: Road to EWC to help create a truly open and competitive pathway for players across the country. We’re looking forward to delivering a world class experience by combining our massive platform with the scale of Jio and the global stage of the Esports World Cup.”
JioBLAST will lead the design and delivery of India Rising, including competition, festival and content. The initiative establishes a structured route from grassroots participation in India to global competition at the EWC. Given India’s evolving regulatory ecosystem, JioBLAST continues to engage with regulators.
Chess returns to EWC this summer with a $1.5 million prize pool following its debut last year, where Magnus Carlsen (Team Liquid) won the inaugural title. The competition expands to a 21-player field, with a play-in stage and qualification routes including the India Rising pathway alongside Champions Chess Tour and Chess.com events.
To learn more about EWC, visit esportsworldcup.com and follow Esports Foundation on LinkedIn. For updates on JioBLAST and India Rising, visit jioblast.com and follow India Rising on Instagram.
About JioBLAST
JioBLAST is a joint venture between BLAST, and RISE Worldwide Limited (a wholly owned RIL subsidiary), combining Jio’s digital ecosystem with BLAST’s global expertise in esports entertainment and RISE’s leadership in sports and event management. JioBLAST creates premium, youth-focused competitive entertainment formats designed to help players, fans, creators and partners connect through gaming and live experiences.
About Esports Foundation
The Esports Foundation (EF) is a non-profit organization based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, dedicated to advancing and professionalizing the global esports industry. Through the annual Esports World Cup (EWC) and the biennial Esports Nations Cup (ENC), EF brings together the world’s top players, leading clubs, and millions of fans for the biggest stages in competitive gaming. Beyond hosting tournaments, the Foundation works year-round to grow the esports ecosystem, support talent development, and create lasting opportunities for players, teams, and partners worldwide.
About The Esports World Cup
The Esports World Cup (EWC) is a premier annual sporting event and global celebration of competitive excellence and esports fandom. The competition features a unique cross-game format that pits the world's top esports Clubs against one another for the largest prize pool in esports history. Returning to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in the summer of 2026, the EWC will bring gaming and esports communities together again to crown the next Esports World Cup Club Champion. esportsworldcup.com
About Chess.com
Founded in 2005, Chess.com is the world’s largest chess website, with a community of over 250 million members worldwide and more than 10 million games played daily. Bootstrapped from the beginning and built entirely remote, Chess.com has cultivated a unique culture grounded in creativity, purpose, and a deep love for bringing chess to everyone. Chess is one of the most popular games globally and Chess.com is committed to growing chess as a positive influence in the world. Chess.com was recognized by Fast Company’s list of Most Innovative Companies in 2024, as well as included on TIME's 100 Most Influential Companies in 2023.