INDIA RISING: Road to EWC, the esports and gaming initiative launched by JioBLAST and the Esports Foundation (EF) ahead of the Esports World Cup 2026, has announced a nationwide VALORANT competition as tactical shooter esports and competitive PC gaming continue to gain momentum in India.
Hosted on JioGames, the competition will bring together amateur squads, rising competitive teams and players from across India through open online qualifiers leading up to the India Rising: Road to EWC Gaming Showmatches live in Mumbai. The tournament will follow a knockout format in Swift Play mode, with open qualifiers scheduled from June 12–16, followed by playoffs broadcasts on June 17th and 18th, before culminating in the Main event in Mumbai. The top two teams from the Playoffs will then qualify for the India Rising: Road to EWC LAN Finals in Mumbai, a media release said.
VALORANT’s rise in India has also been driven by its strong competitive and technical ecosystem. Dedicated Mumbai servers have enabled lower-latency gameplay for Indian players, while optimization for mid-range PCs and its free-to-play structure have made the game more accessible to younger competitive gamers. Its mix of tactical gunplay, agent-based abilities and team strategy has helped establish VALORANT as one of the defining tactical shooter titles within modern esports.
Speaking on the announcement, Charlie Cowdrey, CEO, JioBLAST, said, “India’s PC esports landscape is becoming far more competitive and structured, particularly around tactical shooter titles where community engagement and spectator interest are growing rapidly. VALORANT has played a significant role in shaping that shift globally as well as in India. Through India Rising: Road to EWC, our focus is on creating a high-visibility competitive stage that can help strengthen the presence of Valorant as the leader of tactical shooter esports while giving emerging teams greater visibility within India’s evolving PC esports landscape.”
The title has also emerged as one of India’s fastest-growing spectator esports properties, driven by creator collaborations, community watch parties, college tournaments and rising engagement around livestreamed competitive matches and esports broadcasts.
The India Rising: Road to EWC LAN Finals in Mumbai will also feature creator interactions, live competitive gaming, and fan activities as part of a broader celebration of India’s rapidly evolving PC gaming, livestream and creator culture.
