Mumbai, July 3, 2026: S8UL, a global name in esports and gaming content, has onboarded YouTube as an Official Partner for its Esports World Cup (EWC) 2026 campaign, marking a full-circle moment for the organization. The collaboration will bring the creator community to the forefront through a series of on-ground and digital activations that offer fans unprecedented access to S8UL’s biggest international campaign to date.

A key highlight of the campaign is the return of S8UL’s popular Gaming House Watch Parties at its state-of-the-art facility in Kharghar. First introduced during the organization’s EWC 2025 campaign, the community tradition returns on a significantly larger scale this year, bringing fans together with S8UL’s creators to experience every major match, celebration, and milestone throughout the tournament.

The collaboration will also introduce YouTube Day at the S8UL Gaming House, a nationwide creator initiative open to YouTube creators. Ten selected creators will spend a day at the iconic Gaming House, collaborating with S8UL creators through livestreams, Shorts, vlogs, and exclusive content created for YouTube.

Extending beyond the Gaming House, S8UL will launch the YouTube UGC Station as part of its India Tour across more than 15 cities. The activation will encourage fans to become creators through city-specific content challenges, collaborations, and opportunities to be featured across S8UL’s official YouTube channels.

Complementing these fan-first initiatives is an exclusive long-form EWC Squad Vlog, available exclusively on YouTube. Following more than 50 esports athletes and over 20 creators throughout the tournament, the documentary-style content will capture the complete EWC journey, including arrivals, preparations, Gaming House moments, competition, and celebrations. Fans will also be invited to create and share their own edits and highlights, further extending the community’s participation in S8UL’s journey.

Commenting on the partnership, Animesh Agarwal, Co-founder and CEO of S8UL, said, “Some partnerships are built around visibility. This one is built on shared history. Every milestone in S8UL’s journey has been made possible by the community that has supported us over the years, and YouTube has always been where that relationship came to life. This partnership for our Esports World Cup campaign is about creating an experience that goes beyond competition. Ultimately, we want to celebrate the people who have been part of our journey while creating opportunities for many more to be part of it, whether they’re watching from the Gaming House, creating content in their own cities, or following every moment from Paris.”

The collaboration celebrates the platform that has been integral to S8UL’s evolution. Long before sold-out events, international championships, and global recognition, YouTube was where S8UL’s creators published their first videos, built loyal communities, and established the foundation of one of the world’s leading esports and gaming organizations and continue to push the boundaries of creative storytelling. As S8UL prepares to compete on the world’s biggest esports stage, the partnership reflects the organization’s commitment to taking the community that shaped its journey along with it.

“YouTube is a natural home for gaming fandoms, where communities come together to connect with their favorite creators and players. S8UL has been an integral part of shaping the Indian gaming ecosystem, building a deep and engaged community on YouTube. We are happy to support their Esports World Cup 2026 campaign, representing a great opportunity for fans across India to share in the excitement and stay close to the tournament and the creators they love every step of the way,” said Niharika Pande, Head of Creator Partnerships – India, YouTube.

The announcement marks another significant milestone in S8UL’s EWC 2026 campaign. The organization had previously announced Campa Energy as the Title Sponsor for its EWC campaign, followed by a strategic partnership with AMD to power its competitive and content initiatives throughout the tournament.

Having been selected for the EWC’s Club Partner Program for the second consecutive year, S8UL has already secured qualification in six titles: Apex Legends, Chess, Fortnite, Free Fire MAX, Honor of Kings, and Trackmania. The organization also remains in contention for qualification in EA SPORTS FC, Fatal Fury, Street Fighter 6, and Tekken 8. Alongside fielding elite international talent, S8UL has continued to strengthen Indian representation across its competitive ecosystem.

Scheduled to take place from July 6 to August 23, the EWC 2026 will feature a record-breaking prize pool of USD 75 million (approximately INR 715 crore), bringing together more than 2,000 players representing 200 clubs from over 100 countries.

Mumbai, India (May 11, 2026) – 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.

Official Trailer Launch Film Link: https://youtu.be/fAl2lnEuxaw