Esports World Cup Deepens Ties with Indian Esports via PUBGM Spot, Broadcast Deal & Partner Program with S8UL

Image: EWCF

The Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) has officially expanded its footprint in India. 

The announcement confirms three major developments: 

• A BGMI team from India will be directly invited to the Esports World Cup 2025 PUBG Mobile tournament.

• Premier Indian organization S8UL Esports has joined the EWCF Club Partner Program (announced in March, but reiterated in the press release).

• A soon-to-be-announced partnership with a leading Indian streaming platform is in the works.

Mike McCabe, Chief Operating Officer of the EWCF, emphasized the strategic importance of India in a statement, saying:

“India is central to our vision. With hundreds of millions of mobile-first players, the country’s esports ecosystem is evolving rapidly—from dominant clubs like S8UL to major digital platforms reshaping how fans consume content. Our expanded partnerships and competitive pathways aim to empower Indian players and clubs to reach new heights at the EWC.”

One of the most exciting aspects of this expansion is the invitation extended to the winners of the Battlegrounds Mobile India Pro Series (BMPS) 2025. For the first time ever, an Indian BGMI team will earn the right to compete internationally at the Esports World Cup in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The BMPS 2025 Grand Finals are currently underway at the Yashobhoomi Convention Centre in New Delhi from July 4–6, offering not only a ₹4 crore prize pool—the largest for any Indian mobile esports event—but now also a coveted slot at the EWC. The winning team will go head-to-head against top global squads such as Alpha7 Esports and Weibo Gaming, competing for a portion of the $3 million PUBG Mobile prize pool at the Riyadh event.

Meanwhile, S8UL Esports’ inclusion in the EWCF Club Partner Program highlights India’s club-level impact on the international stage. Based in Mumbai, S8UL—formed by the merger of teams SOUL and 8bit—has already qualified for EWC 2025 in games like Apex Legends and EA Sports FC, and continues to pursue spots in additional titles such as League of Legends, Tekken, BGMI, and Chess.

WCF has also partnered with one of the country’s top streaming and digital platforms. Though the name of the partner hasn’t been disclosed yet, the collaboration promises localized broadcasts, exclusive content, and community events aimed at India’s estimated 500+ million gamers.

The first-ever Esports World Cup (EWC) drew impressive viewership numbers in India, despite no Indian players competing in the event. According to data from the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC), that tournament reached 10.5 million viewers in India, with a total of 64 million minutes watched. Popular creators helped gather an even larger online audience, with influencer Rishabh Shukla alone driving 20.3 million views through his social media content.

Looking ahead, the Esports World Cup 2025 is shaping up to be one of the biggest competitive events in gaming history. Set to be held in Riyadh, the tournament will feature 2,000 elite players, 200 clubs, and 25 tournaments across 24 titles, all battling for a record-breaking prize pool of over $70 million.

Tickets for the event are already available on esportsworldcup.com, and for Indian fans and players, this year’s edition feels a bit more special. It’s not just about watching from afar—it’s about finally being part of the action.