World Esports Championships: Tejan and Gulrez to lead India’s charge in Tekken and eFootball

The WEC 2023 will be the largest edition of the tournament with over 130 countries participating in eFootball, DOTA 2, Tekken7, Mobile Legends, PUBG: Mobile, and CS:GO.

While Abhinav Tejan (right) will be competing in the Tekken 7 title, Gulrez will battle it out in eFootball 2023. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

New Delhi

Two of India’s biggest Esports talents, Abhinav Tejan and Ibrahim Gulrez are set to carry the tricolour and fight for glory at the 15th World Esports Championships (WEC) in Iasi, Romania from August 26.

The WEC 2023 will be the largest edition of the tournament with over 130 countries participating in eFootball, DOTA 2, Tekken7, Mobile Legends, PUBG: Mobile, and CS:GO.

While Tejan will be competing in the Tekken 7 title, Gulrez will battle it out in eFootball 2023 for a share of the whopping prize pool of 4.12 crore rupees (USD 500,000).

“My aim is to showcase the potential of Indian Esports on the international platform by taking home the medal,” Tejan said.

Representing India for the sixth time at the prestigious tournament, Tejan will begin his campaign against Turkmenistan, Egypt, and Colombia on the opening day of the group stages.

Tejan, who prevailed in the India Premiership 2023 this year and the South Asia Regional Finals of the Tekken World Tour 2022, will then face off against Bulgaria and Turkey on the second day.

The Tekken7 group stage matches will be contested in the best-of-3 format.

“I have been focusing on studying my opponents, analyzing their gameplay patterns, and finding ways to counter their strategies,” Tejan added.

Gulrez, on the other hand, 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,” said Gulrez.

Both athletes secured their berth at the 15th WEC by winning the National Esports Championships (NESC) 2023, organized by the Esports Federation of India (ESFI), despite starting from the loser bracket earlier this year.