Riyadh [Saudi Arabia] April 1 (ANI): The Esports Foundation (EF) today announced that S8UL and GodLike Esports, two of India's leading esports clubs, have been selected for the 2026 Esports Foundation Club Partner Program, joining 40 leading esports organisations as part of a global initiative supporting a sustainable and connected esports ecosystem, according to a release.

Now in its third year, the USD 20 million (approximately INR 189 crore) annual program provides participating Clubs with funding of up to USD 1 million (approximately INR 9.4 crore), alongside strategic support and international exposure, to support Clubs in expanding their brands and audiences leading up to and throughout the Esports World Cup (EWC) 2026.

Having made history last year as the first Indian organisation selected for the Club Partner Program, S8UL has continued to expand its global presence across competition and content.

The organisation competed at EWC 2025 in Apex Legends, Chess, and EA FC, while also leading one of the largest fan engagement drives in Indian esports. The four-time Esports Awards winners also hosted watch parties across 12 cities and transformed their state-of-the-art Mumbai gaming house into a dedicated EWC fan hub, reinforcing their position as a global esports and entertainment brand.

Animesh Agarwal, Co-founder and CEO, S8UL, said, 'Being selected for the Esports Foundation's Club Partner Program for the second consecutive year is a strong validation of what we're building at S8UL. Last year gave us the opportunity to showcase our competitive strength and the power of our community on a global stage. This year, we want to build on that momentum by going bigger across performance, content, and fan engagement, while continuing to represent India at the highest level of esports.'

GodLike Esports is one of India's most iconic esports organisations, with a legacy built on competitive dominance in mobile esports and one of the largest fanbases in the country. The organisation competes across a wide range of titles and continues to play a key role in shaping India's esports narrative while driving its mainstream growth. Selected for the Club Partner Program for the first time this year, it will carry India's flag alongside S8UL at the EWC 2026.

'For us, this is a defining moment, not just as a team but as a community that has grown with Indian esports. GodLike has always been built on the strength of its fans, and this platform allows us to take that energy global. Through the Club Partner Program, we aim to expand our reach across new markets, tell deeper stories around our players and journey, and create meaningful fan experiences that go beyond competition. We are excited to represent India on the world stage,' said Chetan Sanjay Chandgude, CEO and Founder of GodLike Esports.

As part of the Club Partner Program, S8UL and GodLike will activate a range of initiatives across the season, including content, creator collaborations, fan campaigns and live experiences such as watch parties and community events, bringing fans closer to the Club and the EWC.

'The Esports Foundation Club Partner Program reaches fans globally and changes the way they experience esports,' said Hans Jagnow, Director, Clubs, National Teams and Players Relations at the Esports Foundation. 'Over the past editions, it has created a platform for Clubs to strengthen their brands and engage with audiences, and we're seeing the results of that in the impact it delivers. With new clubs joining alongside established names in 2026, the program continues to expand in high-growth markets such as Latin America, India, Turkey, and Southeast Asia, enhancing the global character of the ecosystem.'

The EWC 2026, set to take place in Riyadh from July 6 to August 23, will feature a record-breaking USD 75 million (approximately INR 710 crore) prize pool, bringing together over 2,000 players and 200 clubs from more than 100 countries competing across 24 titles. At the centre of the tournament is the Club Championship, which will award $30 million (approximately INR 284 crore) to the top-performing organisations, further cementing the importance of multi-title excellence in modern esports.

The 40 Clubs selected for the 2026 EWCF Club Partner Program are: 100 Thieves, 9z Globant, All Gamers, Alpha7 Esports, Cloud9, Edward Gaming, Fluxo. W7M, Fnatic, FURIA, FUT Esports, G2 Esports, GAM Esports, Gen.G, Gentle Mates, GodLike, HEROIC, JD Gaming, LEVIATAN, MOUZ, NAVI, NIP.eStar, NRG, ONIC, REJECT, S8UL, Sentinels, T1, Team Falcons, Team Heretics, Team Liquid, Team RRQ, Team Secret, Team Spirit, Team Vitality, Titan Esports Club, Twisted Minds, Virtus.pro, Weibo Gaming, Wolves Esports, ZETA DIVISION.

Since its launch in 2023, the program has invested more than $100 million (approximately INR 948 crore) into Clubs across the Club Partner Program and Club Championship, supporting development across competitive operations, marketing and fan engagement. The program establishes a distinctive model for partnership in global sport, enabling Clubs to access funding to grow their brands and audiences through marketing and storytelling that showcase the personalities, talent and journeys of players.

The selected Clubs reach a combined audience of more than 300 million fans worldwide, highlighting the influence of Club-led communities in shaping how audiences engage with competitive gaming. Spanning North America, Europe, MENA, China, Korea, Southeast Asia, India and Latin America, the 2026 cohort reflects the global reach and continued development of esports across regions.

The EF Club Partner Program enables Clubs to grow and activate their audiences through content, campaigns and live experiences across the season. In 2025, participating Clubs delivered more than 330 million campaign views and engaged over 10 million fans across 370 initiatives, including original content, fan events and digital activations. More than 130 watch parties were hosted globally, while the Superfan program brought over 2,000 fans to the EWC 2025 arenas in Riyadh. (ANI)