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Team Soul emerged victorious at the Chennai Esports Global Championship (CEGC) 2025 BGMI Grand Finals, held from November 14 to 16 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium, becoming the second team to lift the trophy under Tamil Nadu’s state-backed international esports initiative.
Organised by the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT) in partnership with Skyesports, the three-day championship marked a major milestone for Indian mobile esports. The finals drew hundreds of on-ground spectators and a significant nationwide digital audience, reinforcing the rapid growth of competitive gaming in the country.
Team Soul secured the title through the tournament’s newly introduced Smash Rule, a format designed to reward consistent performance while ensuring a high-stakes finish. After surpassing the Match Point threshold on Match 15, the team won the following match to seal the championship. The Grand Finals featured 16 leading Indian teams, including Soul, Gods Reign, True Rippers, Revenant Esports and Team Tamilas.
The CEGC featured a total prize pool of INR 1 crore, with INR 50 lakh allocated to the BGMI championship. The winners, Team Soul, took home INR 21.5 lakh, while runners-up True Rippers earned INR 11 lakh. Hydro from True Rippers was adjudged the Finals MVP.
Team Soul were felicitated by the Hon’ble Deputy Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Thiru. Udhayanidhi Stalin who handed over the championship trophy. His presence and direct participation highlighted the state’s strong commitment to recognising esports as a legitimate avenue for youth engagement, digital innovation, and sporting excellence.
The Chennai Esports Global Championship is India’s first state government backed international esports tournament. It reflects Tamil Nadu’s long-term plan to position esports as a powerful platform for skill development, digital opportunities and the growth of the creative economy. With CEGC, Chennai is being actively positioned as a future global hub for esports and gaming innovation.
The BGMI Grand Finals followed the conclusion of the CEGC Counter-Strike 2 championship the previous week, which brought together top teams from Europe, Southeast Asia and India. The CS2 tournament reached more than 90,000 peak concurrent viewers across official streams and watch parties, making it India’s most-watched PC esports event.
Commenting on the tournament, Shiva Nandy, Founder and CEO, Skyesports, said, “The Chennai Esports Global Championship represents a new era for Indian esports. With the support of the Government of Tamil Nadu, we have shown that India can host world-class tournaments that match global standards while celebrating our own gaming community. S8UL’s win reflects the depth of talent in the country, and the enthusiasm for both the CS2 and BGMI championships shows that India is ready to be a serious player on the international esports stage.”
The success of CEGC BGMI 2025 reinforces India’s position as one of the fastest growing gaming markets, with more than 450 million gamers and a rapidly accelerating esports ecosystem. With strong state support and industry execution, the CEGC model sets a benchmark for scalable and sustainable esports growth in India.
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