New Delhi [India], July 23 (ANI): The Esports Federation of India (ESFI) has officially opened registrations for National Esports Championship (NESC) 2025, the national qualifying tournament to select India's Dota 2 student team for OXY-2025, the Open Esports Student Games scheduled to be held in Samara, Russia, this October.

Recognised as one of the world's most prestigious student esports competitions, OXY-2025 will bring together student teams from nearly 50 countries across five continents to compete on an international stage, as per a press release from ESFI.

The tournament offers a total prize pool of 5.5 million Russian Rubles (approximately Rs 55 lakhs), with the top teams being awarded 2,000,000 RUR (1st), 1,250,000 RUR (2nd), 750,000 RUR (3rd), 500,000 RUR (4th), and 125,000 RUR each for teams placing 5th to 8th.

The 2025 edition will feature 16 teams, one representing Russia as host and 15 others qualifying through regional divisions. Dota 2 will be the official title for the tournament.

Registrations for NESC 2025 are open now and will remain so until August 2, 2025. Qualifier matches are scheduled to begin on August 8 and will be conducted in online and/or physical formats.

Eligible participants must be between 16 and 25 years of age as of January 1, 2025. NESC 2025 is open for students studying in any recognised school, college, institute, and/or university (full-time/part-time/correspondence) in India (irrespective of their nationality) and for all Indian Students studying abroad; irrespective of their gender.

The Indian contingent will qualify through the South Asia Division, which shall be concluded by August 31, 2025.

Commenting on the launch, Lokesh Suji, Director of the Esports Federation of India, said, 'NESC 2025 presents an incredible opportunity for Indian student athletes to gain global exposure. OXY-2025 is not only one of the largest student esports competitions in the world, but also one of the most rewarding--both in terms of prize pool and prestige.'

'ESFI is under with the qualifiers for U-18 Team India selection for 3rd Asian Youth Games, Bahrain and now we are excited to present an opportunity for university students also. We look forward to strong participation from across India's colleges and universities,' he said.

OXY-2025 is expected to feature teams from a wide range of nations, including the USA, Brazil, China, Argentina, Egypt, Iran, Kazakhstan, South Africa, Serbia, Vietnam, and others--spanning regions such as South Asia, Central Asia, Southeast Asia, the Americas, MENA, and Sub-Saharan Africa. Notable participants include countries like Guatemala, Nigeria, Uzbekistan, Sri Lanka, Namibia, and Ethiopia. India joins this diverse international roster through the NESC 2025 qualifiers.

Now in its fourth edition, OXY is hosted annually by the Russian Esports Federation and aims to promote global student engagement in structured esports. With growing institutional support for competitive gaming in India, the Esports Federation of India anticipates significant turnout for the 2025 qualifiers. (ANI)