Skyesports Souvenir 2025 debuts at Bengaluru GAFX: National Esports Championship

Top teams battle for national glory

The Skyesports Souvenir 2025 National Esports Championship (NEC) is making its much-anticipated debut at Bengaluru GAFX 2025 from February 27 to March 1, 2025.

Backed by the Karnataka government and organized in partnership with ABAI, the tournament is a major step in the state’s push to establish itself as a powerhouse in competitive gaming, headlined by Counter-Strike 2—one of the world’s most popular esports titles.

Skyesports Souvenir 2025 National Esports championship

Following open qualifiers nationwide, the top four teams—Flashback Gaming, Big W, Victores Sumus, and Gods Reign—are now set to battle for the national title at The Lalit Ashok, Bengaluru. With a prize pool of INR 5 lakhs, the tournament will showcase Counter-Strike 2, a title confirmed for the Asian Games 2026.

The championship will feature a double-elimination bracket, with teams competing for national glory and a chance to climb the global Counter-Strike 2 leaderboards as a Valve Ranked Event.

Commenting on the tournament, Shiva Nandy, Founder and CEO, Skyesports, said, “We are excited to debut the Skyesports Souvenir 2025 National Esports Championship in Bengaluru at GAFX 2025. This national tournament is in line with the Karnataka government’s vision of further building the AVGC sector.

India is one of the fastest-growing gaming markets, and esports offers a pathway to global recognition in international sporting events. Karnataka has been a pioneer in the AVGC space, and their support for esports will further drive its growth. With initiatives like this, we aim to foster talent and strengthen India’s presence on the global esports stage.”

A pioneer in the AVGC space, Karnataka was the first Indian state to announce an AVGC policy in 2012 and the momentum is being carried even further with the government aiming to be an early mover in esports as well. Shri Priyank Kharge, Minister for Rural Development, Panchayat Raj, and IT & BT, Karnataka, highlighted the significance of esports before GAFX 2025, reiterating Karnataka’s dedication to developing it as a skill-based discipline, consistent with its leadership in the AVGC sector since 2012.

“For the first time, we are hosting the National Championship for Esports here, which is an important highlight. In the coming days, we will place greater focus on esports, recognizing its importance as a skill-based discipline. With esports becoming a part of the Commonwealth Games and the Olympics, our goal is to develop it further as a structured pathway for skill development.

This National Championship is just the beginning, and we will progress from here in the future.” said Kharge, further highlighting that no other Indian state has held a National Esports C’ship yet. (translated from Kannada)

India is the world’s second-largest gaming market and is projected to surpass China by 2028 (Niko Partners). With the country’s gaming industry expected to reach $1.4 billion by 2028, driven by a five-year CAGR of 11.1%, esports is emerging as a major force in skill development and employment generation–a point further highlighted by Kharge.

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