Indian sports wrap, January 30: Esports Nations Cup 2026 to debut November 2

ESPORTS

Inaugural Esports Nations Cup to be held in Riyadh in November 2026

The Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) on Friday announced start dates and prize model for the inaugural Esports Nations Cup (ENC). The competition, set to debut in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, runs from November 2 to 29.

The ENC complements the club-based Esports World Cup by giving players a chance to represent their country. The tournament is backed by a three-part funding commitment totalling $45 million (approximately INR 414 crore), structured to support the esports ecosystem through player and coach prizing, club release incentives, and national team development.

ENC 2026 includes $20 million (approx. INR 184 crore) in prize money paid directly to players and coaches across 16 titles.

A first-place finish awards $50,000 (approx. INR 46 lakh) per player, whether competing in a solo title or as part of a team. Second-place awards $30,000 (approx. INR 28 lakh) per player, and third-place awards $15,000 (approx. INR 14 lakh) per player.

“National teams bring a powerful new layer to esports, one that is accessible, intuitive, and rooted in identity and pride,” said Ralf Reichert, CEO of the EWCF.

He added: “Clubs are the cultural backbone of esports. Nation-based competition expands the stage, creates new rivalries, and gives more fans a reason to care from day one. Our prize model is designed to keep competition fair and sustainable, rewarding performance while supporting the long-term development of players, clubs, and national programs.”

At the ENC Finals, team competitions will include 24 to 48 national teams per title, while solo competitions will feature 32 to 128 players. Each nation will be represented by one official national team per title and up to two players per title.

After Riyadh 2026, the competition will move to a rotating host-city model. The event will be held every two years to provide a dependable structure that supports long-term planning for players, partners, and national programmes.

Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, Trackmania, and Dota 2 have already been confirmed for ENC 2026, with additional titles to be announced in the coming days.

-Team Sportstar

SQUASH

Chotrani, Anahat in Washington quarters

Veer Chotrani stunned French World no. 19 Baptiste Masotti in a five-game thriller in the round of 16 at the Squash on Fire Open in Washington. Meanwhile, compatriot Velavan Senthilkumar went down to Mexican World no. 11 and second seed Leonel Cardenas in five games.

Chotrani beat the fourth seed 11-6, 7-11, 8-11, 11-1, 11-9, and will meet sixth seed Declan James of England in the quarterfinals of the PSA Bronze-level event.

In the women’s section, seventh seed Anahat Singh beat South African Hayley Ward 11-5, 11-8, 12-14, 11-5 in the second round. The 17-year-old will take on Egyptian second seed Sana Ibrahim in the quarterfinals.

-Team Sportstar

RUGBY

Two-day ASMITA Rugby League-National for women in Bhubaneswar starts Saturday

Over 300 players from 24 teams will be in action at the inaugural edition of the two-day ASMITA Rugby League-National for women starting on Saturday at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar.

The tournament is being held under the Sports Authority of India’s ASMITA initiative, a flagship programme under the Khelo India scheme for women’s sports. The Indian Rugby Football Union is organising it with the support of the Department of Sports and Youth Services (DSYS), Government of Odisha, and the Odisha Rugby Football Association.

The league marks the culmination of a six-month-long, multi-tiered competitive structure aimed at strengthening women’s rugby pathways across the country.

The league will feature the top eight State teams, which have qualified through Rugby India’s Senior, Junior (U18), and Sub-Junior (U15) National Rugby Sevens Championships (2025-26).

In total, 24 teams comprising 336 players and team officials will participate, making it one of the largest women’s rugby events conducted in the country, the SAI said in a statement.

In the current season, 49 city-level ASMITA leagues and two zonal leagues have been conducted across the country, with participation from over 8,771 athletes across 858 teams.

“ASMITA has emerged as one of the most impactful women’s sports initiatives in the country. The scale of participation we’ve seen this year—from city leagues to zonal competitions—shows how deeply the programme is resonating on the ground,” Rahul Bose, president of the Indian Rugby Football Union, said.

-Team Sportstar

KABADDI

Women’s Senior Nationals roundup: Railways, Himachal Pradesh, TN, and Haryana cruise into semifinals

The quarterfinal stage of the 72nd Women’s Senior National Kabaddi Championship at the Balayogi Stadium produced a mix of commanding victories and closely fought contests, as Railways, Haryana, Tamil Nadu, and Himachal Pradesh progressed to the semifinals.

Defending champion Railways continued its strong run with a comprehensive 58–23 win over Maharashtra in Quarterfinal 1. Sakshi led the scoring for Railways with 10 points, while Pooja contributed with nine points in a well-rounded team performance. Sonali Shingate and Mandira Sampat Komkar added crucial defensive points.

QF 2 saw Haryana deliver one of the most dominant performances of the knockout stage, defeating Madhya Pradesh 63–16. Raj Rani was the standout performer with 17 points.

The closest contest of the quarterfinals unfolded in QF 3, where Tamil Nadu edged past Chandigarh 39–37 in a tense encounter. Chandigarh had entered the match on the back of strong league-stage form, but TN held its nerve in the closing minutes with Karthika R playing the decisive role once again, finishing with 15 points.

Himachal Pradesh completed the semifinal line-up with a 48–25 win over Punjab in Quarterfinal 4. Pushpa led the scoring with 16 points, while Jyoti added 12 points to give HP control of the match.

-Team Sportstar

Published on Jan 30, 2026