NEW DELHI: The frontiers of India’s esports culture are expanding digitally, with India Rising: Road to EWC, a collaboration between JioBLAST, Chess.com, and the Esports World Cup (EWC) Foundation, seen as the latest manifestation of the country’s growing ambitions.Through the India Rising event, India has qualified for the official Esports World Cup, with India’s Grandmaster Vidit Gujrathi facing off against Dutch Grandmaster Benjamin Bok in a big showdown on Saturday for the coveted spot in the 14-player Esports event. Chess World Cup list. The choice to use chess as the primary catalyst for this combination is deliberate.Indian chess is currently experiencing an unprecedented golden era, a tournament that Grandmaster Vidit believes will make the country a great starting point for the world’s biggest game.“India is a force when it comes to chess. We have won the Olympiad gold medal. We are the current champions. The world champion is from India, the winner of the Women’s World Cup is from India, and the opponent Vaishali is also from India,” Gujrathi told TimesofIndia.com.“That’s why India is very important for the chess game. With the number of players, I think India is one of the top places. I see that the competition is very high here, and it makes sense that we have our way to the Esports World Cup. Since esports is an international event, it is very important to have Indian representatives there. I think that’s why we have a patriotic game in India.“Charlie Cowdrey, CEO of JioBLAST, reveals that putting India on the global EWC road was born out of a desire to create sustainable value rather than a digital vision.“The initial discussion was not just to bring another tournament to India, it was to give opportunities to Indian players,” Cowdrey, when asked about their strategy for India’s World Cup qualifiers, told this website.“Chess felt like a natural place to start because India has the strongest chess ecosystem in the world, with incredible talent, passion and a new generation that is redefining the game around the world.”The combination of road traffic comes at a time when the domestic market has reached what Cowdrey calls a “perfect storm”.India has the second largest gaming market in terms of players, fueled by a huge demographic where 65% of the population is under the age of 35. It is a standard that stakeholders around the world can no longer ignore.Mike McCabe, COO & Deputy CEO of the Esports World Cup Foundation, points out that the global organization is placing India in its long-term strategy because the country is driving the industry forward.“India is one of the most important growth markets in the world. It combines a large population, a young and digitally connected population, competitive international talent, and a sports community that continues to grow every year,” said McCabe. “We see India not only as a future market, but as a market that is already shaping the future of esports. When you look at the growth of esports as a global sport, it is difficult to imagine without India playing a major role.“However, the implementation of the new system in several international organizations presented several obstacles.
India Rising: Road to EWC 2026 (Image from Chess.com)
Cowdrey said that international cooperation requires careful problem-solving to ensure competitive integrity and more fun.“Anytime you build something that’s never been done before, planning is a big challenge,” Cowdrey admitted. “We were working on several international teams, each bringing different technologies but united by the same goal… Finding the right balance between the integrity of the competition, availability and fun required many months of coordination and planning with EWC, BLAST, Jio, Chess.com and many others.“The main purpose of setting up these roads was to overcome the historical gap, the lack of a direct route for domestic talent to reach the top countries.“Countries that have been successful in the long term are those that build strength around players rather than relying on short-term momentum,” McCabe said. “India Rising creates something that every developing world needs: a credible path from a competitive middle class to a global one.”With JioBLAST recently signing an agreement with the Government of Maharashtra to explore digital technology and youth engagement, these roads are set for the long term.“A key indicator of the success of India Rising: Road to EWC will be seeing Indian players and teams win the Esports World Cup in the coming years,” added Cowdrey.ALSO READ: See Gujrathi Exclusive: ‘India is a chess hub but still far from becoming an esports hub’On Saturday, Bok’s victory would make Gujrathi the fourth Indian to qualify for an EWC main event after Aravindh Chithambaram, Nihal Sarin, and Arjun Erigaisi, and will surely be the cherry on top for all Indian chess and esports fans alike.“This is India’s moment,” McCabe concluded. The country already has the talent, passion, and scale to become one of the most prominent players in international sports. “