The Electronic Sports Federation of India (ESFI) has commenced the prelims for the National Esports Championship (NESC) 2025 to select Indian representatives for the upcoming Brics Esports Championship (BEC). Hosted by the Russian Esports Federation, BEC is scheduled to take place at the VK play arena in Moscow from 28 May.
Registrations for the NESC will be open until 24 April. It is open to all Indian citizens, allowing athletes to compete in the gaming title Tekken 8 on either PlayStation 5 or PC. The matches will be played online, and the top two athletes will qualify to represent India at the BEC. Athletes competing in the BEC will contend for a total prize pool of RUB (Russian Ruble) 3.5 million (approximately Rs 36.36 lakhs).
ESFI director and Asian Esports Federation VP Lokesh Suji said, “India’s performance at last year’s Brics Esports Championship underscores the strength of our structured talent pipeline and the effectiveness of our long-term ecosystem strategy. As we commence the NESC 2025 prelims, our objective is to deepen competitive readiness, maximise global exposure, and align our national esports framework with international standards. The Brics Championship presents a strategic platform to solidify India’s stature in the rapidly evolving geopolitical and competitive landscape of global esports.”
The BEC 2025 will see participation from 201 countries, including major nations such as Russia, Egypt, Algeria, South Africa, China, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Iran, Vietnam, Bolivia, Cuba, UAE, Turkiye, Kazakhstan, Thailand, Malaysia, Uganda, Brazil, Uzbekistan, and Indonesia.
India showed commendable performance in the 2024 edition of the championship, with Wasfi Bilal securing a silver medal by finishing second, while Shubham Khorwal finished fourth.
