Organizers have announced the opening of registration for EGAMES DUBAI27, a new global esports tournament for K-12 students. The project is co-created by Varkey Group and the British Esports Federation, with support from the GEMS Education network, the Commonwealth Youth Programme, and a number of national esports organizations.
The competition is designed for students in the 2026/27 academic year. The tournament's main feature is its expansion beyond standard domestic leagues to create a single international bracket. Students will compete in national qualifiers for the right to represent their country and school at the finals, which will be held in 2027 at the SRI GEMS school campus in Dubai.
The inaugural season's lineup covers three disciplines:
- EA SPORTS FC 27
- Rocket League
- A Minecraft tournament
Esports federations from 13 countries have already joined the initiative, including Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, Argentina, the UK, Brazil, Kenya, the UAE, Ghana, Australia, Nigeria, Ireland, Jordan, New Zealand, and Zimbabwe.
According to Sunny Varkey, Chairman of Varkey Group and GEMS Education, the aim of EGAMES is to help young people unlock their potential, develop teamwork skills, and build connections across technology, gaming, and digital creativity. Commonwealth representative Layne Robinson highlighted that the project helps engage youth with technology and develop their digital skills.
Applications can be submitted and tournament materials can be found on the official EGAMES website. Organizers have confirmed that there will be prizes for participating schools, though the exact prize pool, finals dates, and broadcast channels will be announced at a later date.
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