Chennai Esports Global Championship 2026 BGMI starts 3 Nov

The Chennai Esports Global Championship 2026 is back for a second edition, and this time BGMI squads carry the whole show. Skyesports is organising the Chennai Esports Global Championship 2026 with the Tamil Nadu government, and play begins on November 3, 2026.

What's on the table

The event is BGMI Squads TPP, with a prize pool of ₹1.25 Crore. That is a step up from the first edition in 2025, when BGMI and Counter-Strike 2 ran together for a combined ₹1 Crore.

• Organiser: Skyesports, in collaboration with the Tamil Nadu government
• Game: BGMI, Squads TPP
• Prize pool: ₹1.25 Crore
• Start: November 3, 2026
• Run: November 3 to around December 13, 2026
• Break: a three-day Diwali pause expected from November 7 to 9
• Broadcast: streamed exclusively on Kick

The Kick-only stream is a change of habit for Skyesports, which has used platforms like YouTube before.

Finals on LAN, and a tight turnaround

The finals are set for December 10 to 13, offline in Chennai, with 16 teams. The venue is listed only as Chennai so far.

There is barely any breathing room before it all starts. The BGMI International Cup 2026 ends on November 1 in Mumbai, which leaves one day of rest before CEGC throws off.

Format and teams

The full format and team list for the CEGC 2026 are not out yet. So far, 31 teams are invited and one slot comes from the CM Trophy. Another listing puts the field at 32 teams in a hybrid setup.

The 2025 BGMI edition gives the shape of it: online stages (Semifinals and a Last Chance Qualifier) feeding a 16-team LAN Grand Finals played under the Smash Rule, where the top team sets a match-point threshold and the first eligible team to take a Chicken Dinner after that wins the title. Soul, True Rippers and Gods Reign were among the teams then.

Team Soul won the 2025 BGMI title and ₹21.5 lakh under the Smash Rule at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium, with Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin handing over the trophy.

For the points table, schedule and results as they land, keep an eye on oowls' CEGC 2026 page.

Why this one matters

CEGC is India's first major state-backed global esports IP, and the Tamil Nadu government's backing is pitched at making Chennai a hub for competitive gaming. With BMSD and BMIC done or wrapping up, this is the big year-end title for the top Indian squads.