Kuwait chosen to host first Asian Esports and Mind Sports Games in 2027

Kuwait will host the inaugural Asian Esports and Mind Sports Games in 2027, after the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) signed a host city contract with the Gulf state. The event aims to bring together about 4,000 athletes competing in both esports and traditional mind‑sport disciplines. OCA officials are also in talks with the Philippines to possibly host the second edition in 2029. The new games follow a steady rise of esports in the Asian Games program. Esports appeared as a demonstration sport in 2018 and became an official medal sport at the Hangzhou 2022 Games, where India fielded teams in DOTA 2, EA Sports FC, League of Legends and Street Fighter; the League of Legends squad finished fifth. At the Aichi‑Nagoya 2026 Asian Games, esports returned as a medal event with eleven titles on the programme, and India competed in eFootball, League of Legends, Pokémon UNITE and Puyo Puyo Champions. Indian teams also took part in the 2026 Esports World Cup, and the first Esports Nations Cup is slated for November 2027 in Riyadh after being pushed back from 2026. Akshaj Shenoy, captain of India’s League of Legends team at both Hangzhou and Aichi‑Nagoya, said a dedicated Asian event makes representing the country more meaningful and could help build a regular competitive culture for national teams. Akshat Rathee, co‑founder of NODWIN Gaming, called the Kuwait host decision an important step for Asia’s large gaming communities, noting that a continental framework can unite athletes and ecosystems. ## Context Continental multi‑sport festivals are increasingly treating competitive video games like traditional sports, giving players a regular stage to showcase skill and earn recognition similar to athletes in physical disciplines.