Add MobiGyaan as a preferred source on GoogleKRAFTON India has launched the 2026-27 Esports College Campus Tour, with the new season beginning on October 10 at IIT Kharagpur and IIT Varanasi. The collegiate esports initiative will run through March 2027, covering 256 higher education institutions across India and doubling the number of participating campuses compared with the previous edition.
The tour will feature competitions in Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) and Real Cricket. KRAFTON India is organizing the initiative with esports event partners Nodwin Gaming and Upthrust Esports, with tournament stages integrated into college festivals across the country.
Esports College Campus Tour: 256 Institutions | Four Zones | October 2026 to March 2027
The 2026-27 edition will cover 256 institutions, divided equally across India’s four geographic zones: North, South, East, and West, with 64 participating institutions in each zone.
The expansion follows the 2025-26 edition, which engaged more than 75,000 students across 128 campuses. By doubling its campus reach, KRAFTON India aims to extend collegiate esports competitions to a wider student audience.
The current season began on October 10, 2026, at IIT Kharagpur and IIT Varanasi, with further events scheduled to take place at participating institutions through March 2027.
Regarding the expansion, Karan Pathak, Associate Director – Esports, KRAFTON India, said, “Last year, we saw how much interest there is among college students for competitive gaming, with the Campus Tour reaching 128 colleges and engaging over 75,000 students. This year, we are taking that a step further by reaching 256 colleges across the country. We want to give more students the chance to experience competitive gaming at their own campuses, compete with other colleges and, for the strongest teams, progress to the next level. With BGMI and Real Cricket, we are looking forward to another exciting season across campuses in India.”
BGMI & Real Cricket | Competitions During College Festivals
The campus tour will host organized competitions in BGMI and Real Cricket. Rather than operating as a separate tournament circuit at every location, the events will be integrated into annual college festivals.
Local student festival committees will coordinate the competitions alongside Nodwin Gaming and Upthrust Esports. KRAFTON India will fund the overall prize pools for the events.
Campus Qualifiers | Zonal Stages | College Campus Championship
The competition follows a tiered format, giving student teams a pathway from individual college tournaments to a national-level championship.
- Campus Qualifiers: Individual tournaments take place at participating institutions.
- Zonal Stages: Winning teams from colleges advance to regional elimination brackets.
- Grand Finals / College Campus Championship: The final stage features 16 teams comprising the highest-placing squads from across the country.
This structure allows teams to progress through campus-level and regional competitions before reaching the final championship.
Winners to Get a Pathway to KRAFTON India’s Pro Circuit
The team that finishes first in the College Campus Championship will receive a direct invitation to the invited phase of KRAFTON India’s official competitive tournaments scheduled for later in 2027.
This provides a competitive progression route for college teams, connecting campus esports events with KRAFTON India’s broader tournament ecosystem.
With the 2026-27 edition expanding to 256 institutions, KRAFTON India is continuing its push to develop collegiate esports participation through campus festivals, regional competition, and a national championship.