The India Electronics Contest Foundation has entered into a strategic partnership with JioBLAST to develop the ecosystem and to launch the “India Rise: The Way to EWC” project as a flagship project to establish long-standing links with the EWC (e-Competition World Cup). The project will begin with a national chess pre-selection competition in India, to be implemented in cooperation with Chess.com and supported by the Jio Digital Platform. The winner of the competition will be eligible to participate in the 2026 World Cup of Chess International competition, scheduled to take place in Riyadh from 11 to 15 August.
The organizers indicated that it was expected that over 10,000 grass-roots chess players would be enrolled and that all leading Indian chess players would be invited to the closed pre-selection. The finals will be held at a side event in Mumbai, which will include creative activities, role-playing, play experience areas, live entertainment performances, as well as the Dauntless Compact and Moba Legends: 5v5! It has been learned that India’s Rise: The Road to EWC will expand in the coming years to include many forms of electronic competition and fan-centred experience as the platform evolves. According to JioBLAST, the goal is to create a structured way to connect Indian players and communities to international electric competitions.
Chief Executive Officer Charlie Cowdrey of Jio Blast said: “India has the second largest game player and one of the most enthusiastic play communities in the world, but there has been a lack of a clear and reliable way to move from India to the global arena, and working with EWC will change the situation. Starting with Chess.com in 2026, this will open the door to Indian talent, establish closer links between players, fans and distributors, and create an ecosystem that can grow as markets develop.” Mohammed Al Nimer, Chief Business Officer of the Electronic Contest Foundation, commented: “The purpose of the EWC is to unite the global game community, which means investing in areas that shape the future of the industry. India is at the heart of that vision. India has hundreds of millions of players, a cradle of top chess talent, an elite champion club and a digital platform that redefines the way fans compete for electricity. In cooperation with Jio Blast, we are creating new opportunities for Indian players to compete at the highest level, while bringing the EWC closer to the country’s fans.”
JioBLAST will lead the planning and implementation of the Rising India project, including competitions, festivals and content production. The project aims to establish an orderly path to the EWC global arena for grass-roots participants in India. Given the evolving regulatory system in India, JioBLAST will continue to communicate with regulators.