Indian esports talents Abhinav Tejan and Ibrahim Gulrez are set to carry the nation’s flag and fight for glory at the 15th World Esports Championships (WEC) in Iasi, Romania from 26 August.
While Tejan will be competing in the Tekken 7 title, Gulrez will battle it out in eFootball 2023 for a share of the whopping prize pool of US$500,000.
Representing India for the sixth time at the prestigious tournament, Tejan will begin his campaign against Turkmenistan, Egypt and Colombia on the opening day of the group stages. The well-renowned athlete who prevailed in the India Premiership 2023 this year and the South Asia Regional Finals of the Tekken World Tour last year, will then face off against Bulgaria and Turkey on the second day. The Tekken7 group stage matches will be contested in the best-of-three format.
Commenting on his preparations and aim for the tournament, Tejan stated, “Representing India at the World Esports Championships is always an honour. I have been focusing on studying my opponents, analysing their gameplay patterns, and finding ways to counter their strategies. The level of competition at the tournament is fierce, and I understand the responsibility on my shoulders as I represent the country. My aim is to showcase the potential of Indian esports on the international platform by taking home the medal.”
Gulrez – who is a rising star of eFootball – will go head-to-head against Kazakhstan, Portugal and Mali on the opening day before squaring off against Uruguay and Belgium on the next day. The eFootball 2023 group stage matches will be conducted in the best-of-2 series.
Over 100 athletes will be divided into sixteen groups for both the Tekken 7 and eFootball 2023 titles, with the top three participants from each group advancing to the playoffs.
Gulrez said, “This is a dream come true for me. I have worked tirelessly to refine my skills, and the opportunity to showcase them at the World Esports Championships is a surreal moment. I want to express my gratitude to ESFI for all of their support and for providing me with the opportunity to represent my country. My focus is to be mentally and physically prepared for some of the best players from all over the globe and give it all to triumph.”
Both athletes secured their berth at the 15th WEC by remarkably emerging victorious in the National Esports Championships (NESC) 2023, organised by the Esports Federation of India (ESFI) in spite of starting from the loser bracket earlier this year.
Esports Federation of India director and Asian Esports Federation (AESF) vice president Lokesh Suji said, “Both Abhinav Tejan and Ibrahim Gulrez have battled their way up by showcasing a champion’s spirit and high-quality gameplay. Their journey reflects the immense talent and perseverance that is present in the esports community of India. We believe they have what it takes to make India proud on the global stage and we extend our best wishes to them in their pursuit for success.”
