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7 state ministers unveil franchise teams for Esports Premier League 2021, the final leg of ESPL to kickstart on August 16

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India’s first-ever franchise-based Esports league, the Esports Premier League (ESPL) has finalised the top eight teams as the ultimate face off in the inaugural edition of the nation-wide Esports league is set to begin on August 16. State ministers from seven regions launched their respective franchise team names, logos, and jerseys.

While the Esports industry has been in quest to gain legitimacy and recognition from the government, involvement and acceptance from the government at this level to the tournament is a giant stride for Esports industry in India.

“To have the best gamers from across the country representing final eight franchise teams as well as their team’s official jersey being unveiled by the state ministers is a matter of absolute honor and pride. Even in its inaugural edition, ESPL has received exceptional response from the Esports community, the players and the audience,” said Mr. Vishwalok Nath, Director, ESPL.

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Here is the complete list of Ministers and personalities that unveiled teams representing their respective states:

  • Mr. V. Srinivas Goud

Hon’ble Minister of Sports & Youth Services

Govt. Of Telangana

 

  • Mr. Sunil Chhatrapal Kedar

Hon’ble Minister of Sports and Youth Welfare

Govt. of Maharashtra

 

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  • Mr. Manish Sisodia

Deputy Chief Minister

Govt. of Delhi

 

  • Mr. Manoj Tiwary

Hon’ble Minister of Department of Youth Services and Sports

Govt. Of West Bengal

 

  • Mr. K.C. Narayana Gowda

Hon’ble Minister of Department of Youth Empowerment and Sports Department of Planning

Govt. of Karnataka

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  • Mr. Ashok Chandna

Hon’ble Minister of Sports & Youth Affairs (Independent charge)

Govt. of Rajasthan

 

  • Mr. Rana Gurmeet Singh Sodhi

Hon’ble Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs
Govt. of Punjab

  • RJ Balaji

Radio jockey, director, sports broadcaster, and writer based out of Chennai

 

The final eight franchises teams and the players were chosen through a draft process. And the teams that are qualified through various stages of the competition for the draft process include BADGE99, Total Gaming, 4 UNKNOWN, TSM FTX, No Chance, AFF Esports, Head Hunters, and TWO SIDE GAMERS. Each of these teams were picked to represent a city team and in the final stage during the draft, popular influencers and Esports gamers were roped in to conduct the process.

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The eight franchise teams are Punjab Paladins, Chennai Celestials, Delhi Dukes, Hyderabad Hydras, Kolkata Kaijus, Rajasthan Reapers, Mumbai Marshals, and Bangalore Ballistics. Below is the complete list of players of all these teams who will represent the respective state teams:

BADGEE99 will represent Kolkata Kaijus

 

Ø  Hriteek Ranjan

Ø  Muhammed Faizal. N

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Ø  Prahast Garg

Ø  Azmal Akhtar Choudhury

Ø  Yogesh Buchale

 

 

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Total Gaming will represent Hyderabad Hydras

 

Ø  Ajay Sharma

Ø  Vora Hetkumar

Ø  Daksh Garg

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Ø  Narai Yadav

Ø  Anshul Rawat

4 UNKNOWN will represent Rajasthan Reapers

 

Ø  Swastik Madhukar Dushing

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Ø  Anand Madhukar Dushing

Ø  Radhe Thakor

Ø  Vadehr Anil Devashibhai

Ø  Mohd Zuber

 

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AFF Esports will represent Delhi Dukes

 

Ø  Owais Bhati

Ø  Kanishk Verma

Ø  Rahil Katoch

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Ø  Pavan Adwani

Ø  Arpit Tyagi

 

TWO SIDE GAMERS will represent Bengaluru  Ballistics

 

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Ø  Ritik Jain

Ø  Ojasvi Kamra

Ø  Vihan Datta

Ø  Bhavesh Lakhwani

No Chance will represent Chennai Celestials
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Ø  Priyansh

Ø  Devesh Chauhan

Ø  Aritra Adak

Ø  Priyanshu Kumar

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Ø  Soumya Sundar

 

TSM FTX will represent Mumbai Marshals

 

Ø  Sagar Patel

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Ø  Indranil Saha

Ø  Jayesh Yadav

Ø  Naitik Khosto

Ø  Asjad Khateeb

 

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Head Hunters will represent Punjab Paladins

 

Ø  Satyam Thakur

Ø  Md. Abdul Moghni

Ø  Aasim Usama

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Ø  Jatin Taneja

Ø  Priyanshu Halder Saha

ESPL 2021, which began on June 16, will see the athletes competing in the popular battle royale game Free Fire as the winners will have INR 25 lacs prize money to win.

This final phase has lot more in store and a spectacle series of matches and exciting live-action will be streamed on Disney+ Hotstar, Free Fire official streaming platform Booyah and Malayalam OTT platform Koode alongside official YouTube and Facebook channels of India Today and Aaj Tak and its websites.

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Asia

Valorant Added to Hero Esports Asian Champions League

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The HERO ESPORTS Asian Champions League (ACL), Asia’s premier multi-title esports tournament hosted by Hero Esports, has officially announced the addition of VALORANT to its inaugural lineup.

Previously, ACL unveiled six game titles: Dota 2, Counter-Strike 2 (CS2), Honor of Kings, Teamfight Tactics, Delta Force, and Crossfire. With VALORANT joining the roster, the total number of games now stands at seven, with more titles expected to be announced soon.

Through continued collaboration with the Esports World Cup, ACL has revealed that the champions of the ACL CS2 and Honor of Kings Tournaments will secure direct entry to the Esports World Cup. Further collaborations on the remaining titles of the ACL are anticipated.

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The ACL VALORANT Tournament will be the only international-level VALORANT tournament held in China during the first half of 2025, attracting top teams from overseas. The Final of the event will take place offline in Shanghai. The event will use world-class production and cutting-edge live broadcasting technology to enhance audience experience.

The ACL is set to take place in the first half of 2025, with the Finals of the ACL CS2 Tournament and Honor of Kings Tournament scheduled for May. The ACL will have a total prize pool of $2 million.

Jonny Wang, CEO of the Asian Champions League, said: “We are excited to announce the addition of VALORANT to the ACL. Our ambition is to make ACL into a truly comprehensive tournament, providing a larger stage for players and teams across various competitions while delivering more exciting content for our audience.”

Danny Tang, Co-Founder and CEO of Hero Esports, said: “We are pleased by the progress of the ACL and its ability to attract top teams and titles to compete across Asia. We look forward to the continued collaboration between Hero Esports, ACL and the Esports World Cup Foundation, which is testament to our shared ambition to shape and empower esports globally.”

The post Valorant Added to Hero Esports Asian Champions League appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Asia

Esports World Cup Foundation Announces Strategic Partnership with Tencent

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Partnership to drive EWC’s expansion in China, leveraging Tencent E-sports’ networks and expertise to connect Chinese esports with EWC’s  global ecosystem

The Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) announced a partnership with Tencent, making Tencent E-sports the EWCF’s strategic partner in China to drive the expansion of the Esports World Cup’s presence in the region. This partnership marks a significant milestone in the EWCF’s purpose to unite global esports fans under one competitive umbrella and underscores its commitment to integrating the world’s most important and rapidly growing esports market into the Esports World Cup platform. The agreement was formalized at the Empower Esports Worldwide Series – The Esports Operation and Technology Session in Shenzhen, China.

The collaboration will establish a dedicated Development Team to enhance EWC’s visibility, engagement, and industry collaboration in China, while leveraging EWC’s and Tencent E-sports’ networks and expertise to connect Chinese esports with EWC’s global ecosystem. Tencent E-sports will provide marketing expertise, strategic consulting, and operational support to deliver diverse content and experiences.

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“The Esports World Cup has created a global stage for competitive gaming, demonstrating its influence not only in China but across the world,” said Mars Hou, Vice President of Tencent Games and General Manager of Tencent E-sports. “Through this partnership, we are committed to elevating EWC’s presence in China and integrating our esports industry with the world’s largest competitive gaming event. We look forward to deepening our collaboration with EWCF to push esports forward on a global scale.”

“The Esports World Cup’s purpose is to create a global platform for esports and gaming fans worldwide, and investing in key growth markets for esports is a core pillar of our mission,” said Thamer Al Shuaibi, Chief of Staff at the Esports World Cup Foundation. “China plays a critical role in this vision, and Tencent’s leadership in gaming and esports positions it as an essential partner. By combining our expertise, we will continue to strengthen esports as an industry, providing new opportunities for Chinese players and Clubs, and bringing the best of the Esports World Cup to Chinese fans.”

Esports World Cup 2025 will once again unite gaming and esports communities in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for a global competition that will crown the next Esports World Cup Champion. The tournament’s unique cross-game format will reward Clubs and players competing for a life-changing prize pool in a mix of platforms and genres, bringing together esports’ best players, Clubs and games under one banner in the largest-ever celebration of esports.

The post Esports World Cup Foundation Announces Strategic Partnership with Tencent appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Compliance Updates

ESIC Implemented its Anti-doping Testing Programme at IEM Katowice 2025

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The Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC) implemented its comprehensive anti-doping testing program at IEM Katowice 2025, organised by ESL FACEIT Group (EFG). Conducted at EFG’s request, this initiative reinforced the commitment of both organisations to maintaining the highest standards of competitive integrity in esports.

ESIC’s anti-doping procedures, carried out in accordance with the ESIC Anti-Doping Code, ensured that all participating competitors at IEM Katowice adhered to globally recognised best practices. The programme featured advanced testing protocols, thorough monitoring and rigorous enforcement measures, all designed to uphold fair competition.

“At ESIC, our mission is to protect the integrity of the esports ecosystem. By deploying our anti-doping testing at IEM Katowice 2025, we reaffirmed our dedication to supporting event organizers like EFG in hosting competitions where athletes compete responsibly and ethically,” Stephen Hanna, Chief Executive Officer of ESIC, said.

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Over the past few years, ESIC has administered more than 700 anti-doping tests at major esports events, including those hosted by EFG. This extensive experience further cements ESIC’s reputation for providing industry-leading services that prioritise player welfare, competitive fairness and a culture of transparency.

“Protecting integrity is paramount for esports, which is why EFG and ESIC are constantly working together to ensure fair competition. ESIC have proven themselves to have the experience, as well as an advanced system that provides the credibility and peace of mind needed at one of our biggest and most prestigious events, IEM Katowice,” Carsten Kramer, Director of Tournament Management at EFG, said.

The post ESIC Implemented its Anti-doping Testing Programme at IEM Katowice 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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