eSports
The Making of Champions: How top-notch companies in India are leading the sports movement
India is a diverse land, full of talented individuals in all walks of life. In the recent years, Indian sportspersons have outshined their competitors at various international events. From Mirabai Chanu and PV Sindhu to Chopra, athletes from the country have proven their mettle in their respective sports.
Their success comes after tremendous hard work and perseverance, but an important factor contributing to this success remains the encouragement these sportspersons are receiving from various top-notch organizations in the country. On the occasion of National Sports Day, we bring you some of the biggest companies in India which have time and again fueled Indian sports talent to achieve more through their various initiatives.
MG Motor India
MG Motor has a rich legacy of supporting sportspersons, which the company has continued in the recent times through various partnerships with budding talent in sports. In association with The Vadodara Marathon, MG Motor India presented a personalized Hector to Paralympian Bhavina Patel, who bagged a silver medal at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics. The company also roped-in para-athlete and Arjuna Awardee Deepa Malik to be the voice of the personal AI assistant in its SUV, MG Astor. The company is also known for recognizing budding female sports talent and showcasing its support to player like golfer Tvesa Malik, athlete Rupal Chaudhary, hockey player Khushboo Khan, and any many more.
Mobile Premier League
Mobile Premier League (MPL) is the world’s leading mobile eSports platform that allows users to participate in free as well as paid competitions across 60+ games in multiple categories, including fantasy sports, sports games, puzzle, casual and board games. As an industry leader, MPL continues to support VS Rathanvel, a young chess prodigy. Rathanvel began playing chess at the age of seven and became a grandmaster at the age of ten. In 2011, he was ranked third in the world under-10 category. This partnership has enabled Rathanvel to compete in international events and earn recognition on a global scale. MPL’s ultimate aim is to democratise gaming and esports across the country, by giving gamers a platform to compete with the best and monetise their skills. Founded in 2018, MPL hosts millions of tournaments a month and is trusted by over 90 million registered users across Asia, Europe, and North America.
Adidas
Footwear and accessories giant Adidas launched a new product aimed at making sports convenient for menstruating sportspersons. The new TechFit Period Proof Tights are the company’s way to ensure that teenage girls and women in sports do not give up on their dreams just for the fear of period leakage. Adidas launched ‘Stay in Play’ to promote its latest innovation, and roped in Tokyo Olympics Silver-medalist Mirabai Chanu as the face of this campaign.
JSW
Steel giant JSW is known for its continued efforts towards improving the sports scenario in India. The group has time and again undertook projects to upscale the facilities for sportspersons. The flagship endeavour of the group, the JSW Sports Excellence Program, supports 49 athletes across four disciplines, including Olympic medalists wrestler Sakshi Malik and javelin-thrower Neeraj Chopra. The sponsor of the Indian contingent at the Tokyo Olympics, the JSW Group also presented the Tokyo medalists as well as their coaches with cash grants of up to Rs 1 crore.
Tata Steel
Tata Steel has a long legacy of supporting Indian sportspersons. Throughout decades, the leading steel company has provided assistance to numerous talented individuals and teams at different national and international sporting events. Many of India’s Olympics heroes have been employed by the Tata Group in a bid to support them with their training and other needs. An important chapter in the success stories of athletes like TC Yohannan, Mercy Kuttan and Lavinho Pinto remains the encouragement they received while being employed with the Tata Group.
India’s journey to excellence in sports is still a long one, but the country’s sportspersons have nevertheless made positive strides over the years. What they need is continued encouragement and support from all directions, which is something companies like MG Motor and Tata Steel are expected to continue providing.
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Alexander Lewin SVP of Commercial Revenue at BLAST
Polymarket Joins BLAST as Official Prediction Partner for BLAST Premier and BLAST Slam 2026
- Polymarket to activate across seven BLAST events across both Slam and Premier ecosystems
- Partnership introduces integrated prediction formats and new fan engagement experiences
Competitive entertainment firm BLAST has revealed a new alliance with Polymarket, the globe’s largest prediction market, designating the platform as its ‘Official Prediction Partner’ through 2026. The partnership will encompass BLAST’s Counter-Strike and Dota 2 tournament events, BLAST Premier and BLAST Slam, enhancing prediction-based interaction for fans during various international tournaments.
Polymarket will be featured in seven of BLAST’s worldwide Counter-Strike 2 and Dota 2 events, starting this week at BLAST Slam VI in Malta. Dota and Counter-Strike events will include custom content pieces utilized in broadcasts and desk segments showcasing the platform’s involvement in BLAST’s events.
Polymarket will gain significant exposure through live broadcasts, arena events, and digital media as BLAST enhances fan interaction with premier competitive entertainment. Polymarket’s branding will be prominently displayed throughout BLAST’s broadcasts through digital integrations and physical advertisements.
In addition to broadcasting, the collaboration expands to live arena events, with Polymarket integrated into the in-person fan experience through elements like the Polymarket Fancam and the opportunity to accommodate creators and streamers in the arena using designated event streaming booths.
Alexander Lewin, SVP of Commercial Revenue at BLAST said: “Esports is evolving rapidly into a more interactive, data-driven entertainment experience, and we are delighted to team up with Polymarket to bring exciting new engagement opportunities to our fans all around the world. Together, we’re creating something that feels native to esports culture: fast, live, and deeply connected to the action. This partnership is about enhancing how fans experience competition, whether they’re watching online or inside an arena. We’re proud to join Polymarket’s industry-leading group of partners, alongside the NHL, UFC and the MLS among others, reflecting the growing global recognition of BLAST’s events.”
Matthew Modabber, CMO of Polymarket, said: “Esports has long been dominated by traditional sportsbooks, but prediction markets open the door to a more transparent and community-driven way for fans to engage with competition. Partnering with BLAST brings that experience to a global audience and helps make prediction markets a natural part of how people watch, debate, and follow competitive gaming. We see this as the beginning of a new chapter for fan participation in esports.”
The post Polymarket Joins BLAST as Official Prediction Partner for BLAST Premier and BLAST Slam 2026 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
International competitive entertainment firm BLAST has today revealed a continuation of their collaboration with ASUS, a prominent global technology leader. After a successful collaboration in 2025, ASUS will be the Official Partner for Monitors, PCs, Laptops, Keyboards, and Mice for the entire 2026 season of BLAST Premier, a worldwide Counter-Strike 2 tournament series.
This collaboration will cover six events, three continents, and five nations throughout 2026, commencing this week in Malta for BLAST Premier Bounty S1. The occurrences are as detailed:
- BLAST Bounty S1 – Malta: 13th January – 25th January.
- BLAST Open S1 – Rotterdam, Netherlands: 18th March – 29th March
- BLAST Rivals S1 – Fort Worth, Texas, USA: 29th April – 3rd May
- BLAST Bounty S2 – Malta: 21st July – 2nd August
- BLAST Open S2 – Europe: 26th August – 6th September
- BLAST Rivals S2 – Hong Kong: 11th November – 15th November
Under the agreement, ASUS will supply its top-tier monitors, PCs, laptops, keyboards, and mice for use in broadcasting during all Premier events in 2026.
The ROG Strix XG248QSG Ace will remain in use on stage after successful implementation during the last three events in 2025. The display includes a 24.1-inch FHD Super TN panel boasting a 610Hz refresh rate and Extreme Low Motion Blur 2 (ELMB 2) technology for sharp motion clarity. It guarantees almost no latency with 0.8ms input delay.
The BLAST Premier Esports Station ‘Powered by ASUS’ is crafted for optimal tournament performance. These computers are equipped with the ROG Strix GeForce RTX
5090 graphics card, ROG Crosshair X870E Hero motherboard, and the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D CPU.
Kevin Nguyen, Director of Partnerships at BLAST, said: “2025 was an incredibly successful first BLAST Premier season in this new era of Counter-Strike and we’re proud to be going into 2026 re-signing with an industry leader in ASUS. ASUS products not only elevated our competition standards, but also created unique experiences for attending fans at our events. We’re excited to be expanding our partnership with ASUS in 2026 as BLAST Premier wows fans around the world and in new locations such as Rotterdam in March and Fort Worth in May.”
“For two decades, ROG’s mission has been to innovate products that offer exceptional experiences. As we celebrate our 20th anniversary, we’re bringing that legacy to the competitive scene like never before,” said Kris Huang, General Manager of the ASUS Gaming & Workspace Gear business unit. “With this partnership, we’ve built a seamless ecosystem between our ultrafast displays and precision gear. It’s all designed so that gamers can achieve their true potential together in play. This is For Those Who Dare to demand perfection and we are here to deliver it.”
The season commences with BLAST Premier Bounty and continues through to BLAST Premier Rivals, which concludes the season in Hong Kong, with ASUS completely integrated into BLAST broadcasts for maximum brand visibility. This encompasses the physical positioning of ASUS monitors, PCs, laptops, and their range of keyboards and mice. ASUS will be incorporated into both digital and physical branding, in-broadcast ads, and customized branded content shown on air.
Moreover, ASUS is provided with its own broadcast segment that emphasizes highlight replays, featuring exclusive camera angles that display ASUS technology in action. ASUS will engage directly with fans, setting up branded booths at every Premier Arena event, beginning in Rotterdam, which is BLAST’s inaugural event in the Netherlands.
BLAST performed surveys with participants in 2025 to gauge the impact of the BLAST x ASUS collaboration, revealing that over a third of fans in attendance already utilize ASUS products, and 76% of fans who interacted engaged with ASUS products post-event. This is a brand that individuals in the CS community admire and utilize, highlighting the brand’s significance within BLAST and the impact of direct advertising at esports events.
ROG items will likewise bear the labels:
- “Official Monitor of BLAST Premier”
- “Official PC of BLAST Premier”
- “Official Laptop of BLAST Premier”
- “Official Mouse & Keyboard of BLAST Premier”
The post ASUS and BLAST Premier Extend Partnership Ahead of 2026 Global Tour appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
The Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) has revealed Chess as the newest addition to the 16 games that national teams and players will contest in the first Esports Nations Cup 2026 (ENC), scheduled to take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from November 2 to 29, 2026. Chess at ENC 2026 will feature an unmatched number of participants, enabling emerging talents and lesser-represented nations to compete on a prominent platform as the historically important game evolves into a larger esport.
Here’s all you should be aware of regarding Chess at ENC 2026:
SCHEDULE AND FORMAT
● The Chess tournament at ENC will begin on November 2, 2026, and will conclude with the playoff final on November 8, 2026.
● The opening portion of the tournament will consist of 128 players competing in a round-robin group stage, featuring 16 groups of eight players.
● The top four players from each group will advance to the next stage.
● The second stage will consist of 64 players competing in a single-elimination playoff bracket.
● All group stage matches will be best-of-two. All Round of 64 and 32 matches will be best-of-two, while the quarterfinals and beyond will be best-of-four.
● Armageddon games will be used as tie-breakers.
● The event will be played in a Rapid 10+0 time control format.
RANKING SYSTEM AND QUALIFIER INFO
● 128 players representing their respective nation will compete in the Chess event at ENC 2026:
○ 64 players from 64 nations will be directly invited based on the official Champions Chess Tour (CCT) rankings
○ 56 players will qualify through regional qualifiers
○ 8 players will come from Wildcard slots
● The Esports Nations Cup will determine its direct invites via the official CCT rankings, limited to one player per nation. The Titled Tuesday Spring Split will be used as an additional tie-breaker should there not be 64 unique nations featured in the CCT rankings. The cut-off date for determining direct invites to ENC 2026 is May 26, 2026.
● Chess will feature two regional qualifiers in each region, taking place on June 6-7 and June 13-14. Each Qualifier will consist of two stages; a Swiss stage and a double-elimination stage, with four players from each qualifier making it to ENC, giving a total of eight players per region. Qualifiers will be operated by Chess.com, and hosted in each of the following regions:
○ North America (8 slots)
○ South America (8)
○ Africa (8)
○ Western Europe (8)
○ Eastern Europe (8)
○ Middle East + India + Central Asia (8)
○ East Asia + Southeast Asia + Oceania (8)
● Every nation can have up to two representatives at the event. Should a nation have a player directly invited through the rankings, only one more player from that nation can make it through the regional qualifier. Nations without a direct invite can still have two players qualify online.
CHESS AT THE ESPORTS WORLD CUP
Chess captured attention during its Esports World Cup debut in 2025, confirming the emergence of a new digital age for the oldest and most cherished games globally. Enthusiasts of esports and chess had never witnessed an event like this previously and remained enthralled as the thrilling action unfolded. The most successful competitors and top figures faced off in the playoffs, as the sport’s leading star Magnus Carlsen (Norway) secured the first Chess at EWC title for Team Liquid.
A total of 20 countries participated in the Chess main event and Last Chance Qualifier in Riyadh during EWC 2025.
“Playing for Gen.G at the Esports World Cup was a great experience for me. The energy there was amazing and unlike any chess tournament I’ve played before. It’s really exciting to see chess becoming part of the esports world and reaching so many new people. I’m looking forward to the Esports Nation Cup and can’t wait to start competing again.” said Arjun Erigaisi, who is currently India’s number 1 ranked chess player.
Sagar Shah, co-founder and CEO at ChessBase India said, “I am very excited that the Esports Nations Cup is happening for the first time this year! In 2024 when the Chess Olympiad happened, it was such an exciting time for Indian chess. I am sure there will be a similar level of excitement in the Indian community for the Esports Nations Cup as well since they will be rooting for the nation and our top Indian players! I am really looking forward to it.”
Grandmaster and prominent chess commentator, Tania Sachdev commented, “After the incredible success of chess at the Esports World Cup, bringing it into a nation based format adds a powerful layer. Playing for your flag brings pride, pressure, and passion and that’s what makes fans invest so deeply. Having been part of the Esports World Cup broadcast and experiencing its impact ring side I’m very excited to see this next chapter as the game cements its place as a perfect fit in the world of esports.”
The post Chess Set to Make Its Debut at Esports Nations Cup 2026 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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