By Shivam | Aug 08, 2026
New Delhi, August 8, 2026: The Esports Federation of India (ESFI) today announced the final Indian contingents for the BRICS Esports Championship 2026 in Moscow, Russia, and the Global Esports Games (GEG26) in Los Angeles, USA, following the conclusion of the National Esports Championships (NESC) 2026.
The National Esports Championships, which concluded on August 5, 2026, served as India's official selection tournament, bringing together the country's top esports athletes to earn the right to represent the nation at two of the world's premier multi-title esports events.
BRICS Esports Championship 2026
For the BRICS Esports Championship 2026, scheduled to be held from September 9–15 at the VK Play Arena in Moscow, organized by the Russian Esports Federation, India will field a two-member TEKKEN 8 contingent. National champion Arsalan Wani secured his berth after emerging victorious at the NESC BRICS qualifier and will join Gurashish Singh, who was the winner of NESC 2026 (Asian Games) as part of Team India. Shubham finished as the first runner-up, while Ashish claimed the second runner-up position in the qualifier.
Global Esports Games 2026 Roster
Meanwhile, India has finalized its roster for the Global Esports Games 2026 in Los Angeles, organized by the Global Esports Federation (GEF). Team India will compete across multiple esports titles spanning PC, console, and mobile platforms, further strengthening the country's presence on the global esports stage.
“The BRICS Esports Championship and the Global Esports Games are invaluable opportunities for our athletes as we build towards the Asian Games. Competing against some of the world's best players reflects the growing depth of India's esports talent while giving our athletes the exposure needed to sharpen their skills, perform under pressure and raise their competitive standards. These experiences will play a vital role in preparing Team India for future international competitions, including the upcoming Asian Games,” said Lokesh Suji, Hon. Gen Secretary, Esports Federation of India and Vice President, Asian Esports Federation (AESF).
At the Global Esports Games, India will be represented by the following athletes:
- Counter-Strike 2: Diamond Dogs secured the national berth after defeating Friedup Gaming in the Grand Final. The squad comprises Ritesh Sarda (Captain), Hrishikesh Shenoy, Gourav Panwar, Garvit Nehra and Yash Kumar Singh.
- Clash Royale (Open): Devershi Kumar Kulhara emerged champion, followed by Heer Chawda and Mohamed Rizal S.
- Clash Royale (Women's): Shagun Srivastava won the Women's category ahead of Nikita S.
- NBA 2K: India's contingent will feature Shubham Sharma (Captain), Ashutosh Kumar and Sumer Singh Sandhu.
- Rocket League: The team comprises Abhai Ponna (Captain), Jayanth Engineer and Aditeya Amol Srivastav.
- iRacing (featuring Ferrari): Yashwanth Babu topped the standings, followed by Aditya Iyer and Ankit Raj.
- eFootball: Chinmay Sahoo has been awarded the Open category slot being the Winner of the NESC 2026 (Asian Games).
Reiterating its commitment to regulatory compliance, ESFI confirmed that India will not field a contingent in Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) in adherence to directives issued by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act.
About the Esports Federation of India (ESFI):
Established in 2016, the Esports Federation of India (ESFI) is the recognised national governing body for esports in India. Headquartered in New Delhi, ESFI is a full member of the International Esports Federation (IESF), the Global Esports Federation (GEF) and the Asian Electronic Sports Federation (AESF). The federation is committed to developing, regulating and promoting esports in India while creating structured pathways for Indian athletes to compete and excel on the global stage.