Asia's Top Esports Champions to Be Decided in Jinju

"2026 Asia Esports Championship" Kicks Off on April 24
Record Participation from Seven Countries... Seven Titles Including BATTLEGROUNDS

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced on April 23 that it will host the "2026 Asia Esports Championship" at Jinju Indoor Gymnasium in South Gyeongsang Province for three days starting April 24.

The Asia Esports Championship is an official national competition launched in 2021 through cooperation among the governments of Korea, China, and Japan. Korea has previously hosted the tournament three times, and this year, the event has expanded beyond East Asia to encompass the entire Asian region. More than 150 participants, including athletes and officials from seven Asian countries, will take part, making it the largest event in the competition's history.

This year's tournament will feature six official titles: three fighting games (Street Fighter 6, Tekken 8, and The King of Fighters XV), the eFootball series (PC and mobile), BATTLEGROUNDS Mobile, and the Korean-made game "Eternal Return." These games have also been selected as medal events for the upcoming "2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games" scheduled for September. In addition, the Korean K-pop dance artificial intelligence (AI) platform "Stepin" has been added as a demonstration event.

Notably, as the tournament is being held ahead of the "2026 Asian Games," top athletes representing each country will participate. Korea has also formed a national team with players who are strong contenders to represent the country at the Asian Games.

The event will be broadcast live worldwide via Disney Plus, SOOP, YouTube, and other platforms. During the tournament, a variety of side events will be held, including experience zones, pop-up stores, and cosplay parades, allowing all visitors to enjoy esports culture. More details are available on the official website of the tournament.

Kim Jaehyun, Director General for Culture and Media Industry Policy at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, stated, "This tournament is a model of an official national competition that Korea, as the birthplace of esports, has proactively introduced. We hope this event will serve as a cultural bridge for the youth of Asian countries, and we will continue to pursue a variety of policies to help esports make further strides on the international stage."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.