(Esports news) The 15th World Esports Championships (WEC), which begin on August 26 in Iasi, Romania, will include two of India’s top Esports athletes, Abhinav Tejan and Ibrahim Gulrez, who will proudly represent their country and compete for victory. While Gulrez will compete in eFootball 2023 for a piece of the $500,000 (INR 4.12 crore) grand prize, Tejan will be vying for the Tekken 7 crown.
Abhinav Tejan will make his sixth appearance for India at the renowned competition as he opens his campaign against Colombia, Egypt, and Turkmenistan on the first day of the group rounds. On the second day, the renowned athlete, Abhinav Tejan who won the South Asia Regional Finals of the Tekken World Tour in 2017 and the India Premiership 2023 this year will compete against Bulgaria and Turkey. The group stage matches for Tekken 7 will be played in a best-of-three style.
Abhinav Tejan commented on his competition preparations and goals, saying, “Representing India in the World Esports Championships is always an honor. I’ve been concentrating on researching my rivals, examining their gameplay tendencies, and devising techniques to counteract them. The competition is intense at the tournament, and I am aware of the responsibility that comes with representing my nation. By winning the medal, I hope to highlight the potential of Indian eSports on a global stage.
Being one of the rising stars of eFootball, Gulrez will be determined to prove his mettle in his debut at the tournament. He 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.
“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,” said Ibrahim Gulrez.
Abhinav and Ibrahim secured their berth at the 15th WEC by remarkably emerging victorious in the National Esports Championships (NESC) 2023, organized by the Esports Federation of India (ESFI) in spite of starting from the loser bracket earlier this year.
“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,” said Mr. Lokesh Suji, Director, Esports Federation of India & Vice President of the Asian Esports Federation (AESF).
One of the country’s top sports & Esports communication agencies, Artsmith-Concepts & Visions, will continue its support to the Esports Federation of India as its official communication partner. The 15th WEC is set to be the largest edition of the tournament to date with at least 130 countries participating in eFootball, DOTA 2, Tekken7, Mobile Legends, PUBG: Mobile, and CS:GO.
