Tag Archives: Esports

Event

Asian Games 2026 Esports: 11 Medal Events, 10 Days — Your Watch Guide for Aichi

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Eleven esports medal events. Thirteen game titles. Twenty-three competing nations. The 20th Asian Games opens in Aichi, Japan on 19 September 2026 — and the esports programme that runs from 23 September to 2 October at Aichi Sky Expo is the biggest the Games have ever fielded. Street Fighter 6, Tekken 8, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, League of Legends, PUBG Mobile and Pokémon Unite are all on the medal slate. If you play any of those games, this schedule is worth bookmarking.

20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026 PR movie (full Ver.) — via aispo! on YouTube

What Is the 2026 Asian Games Esports Programme?

Esports first appeared as a demonstration event at the 2018 Asian Games and earned full medal status at Hangzhou 2023, where seven titles competed. Aichi 2026 expands that to 11 medal events covering 13 game titles, with 23 nations sending players. Matches are played at Aichi Sky Expo in Tokoname — a short train ride south of central Nagoya, just minutes from Chubu Centrair International Airport. All competition will be streamed via the official AsianGames_2026 YouTube channel.

Singapore did not qualify for the esports events this edition, though Singapore hosted the MLBB qualifier tournament at Resorts World Sentosa in June 2026. SEA is well represented among the 23 competing nations: Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar are all sending players across the various titles.

Every Game on the Medal Slate

Here is the complete list confirmed by the Japan eSports Union (Japanese) and the Olympic Council of Asia:

  • eFootball (PC & Mobile)
  • Gran Turismo 7 (PlayStation 5)
  • Honor of Kings (Mobile)
  • Identity V — Asian Games Version (Mobile)
  • League of Legends (PC)
  • Mobile Legends: Bang Bang — Asian Games Version (Mobile)
  • Naraka: Bladepoint (PC)
  • Pokémon UNITE (Nintendo Switch)
  • PUBG Mobile — Asian Games Version
  • Puyo Puyo eSports (PC)
  • Competitive Martial Arts — Street Fighter 6, Tekken 8 and The King of Fighters XV (combined team event, PC)

The Fighting Games Are One Unique Combined Event

The most unusual format on the programme is Competitive Martial Arts. Instead of three separate medals for Street Fighter 6, Tekken 8 and The King of Fighters XV, the OCA awards a single gold medal to the nation that performs best across all three fighting games combined — each country fields players in every title and the cumulative results determine the podium. Finals day for that event is 26 September. It rewards depth across the FGC scene rather than pure mastery of one engine.

Street Fighter 6 Metro City hub — one of three fighting games in the Asian Games 2026 Competitive Martial Arts event
Image courtesy of Capcom

10-Day Schedule at a Glance

All times are local Japan Standard Time (JST). Singapore is JST − 1 hour, so a 10:00 JST session starts at 09:00 SGT. Preliminary rounds run each day before the times shown for key finals.

Date Event Finals
Tue 23 Sep eFootball & Gran Turismo 7
Wed 24 Sep Naraka: Bladepoint (Semis)
Thu 25 Sep Naraka: Bladepoint (Final) · Competitive Martial Arts (Tournament)
Fri 26 Sep Puyo Puyo eSports · Competitive Martial Arts Final (SF6 / Tekken 8 / KoFXV)
Sat 27 Sep Pokémon UNITE Final
Sun 28 Sep Honor of Kings
Mon 29 Sep PUBG Mobile Final
Tue 30 Sep Identity V
Thu 1 Oct Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Final
Fri 2 Oct League of Legends Final
Tekken 8 gameplay — Steve vs Law — featured in the Asian Games 2026 Competitive Martial Arts event
Image courtesy of Bandai Namco Entertainment

The SEA Nations to Follow

Singapore’s gaming community is deeply invested in many of these titles. Mobile Legends: Bang Bang has one of its strongest player bases in Southeast Asia — Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines routinely reach the top bracket of international tournaments and all three nations are competing here. Tekken 8 and Street Fighter 6 both have active local scenes across the region, and players from the Philippines and Thailand have consistently placed at international FGC events. On the Pokémon UNITE side, Japan fields a strong competitive roster and the regional final on 27 September could be one of the week’s most-watched sessions for Switch players.

Pokémon UNITE key art — UNITE is a full medal event at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi
Image courtesy of The Pokémon Company / TiMi Studio Group

The League of Legends final on 2 October closes out the entire programme — South Korea has dominated that event at previous Asian Games and will be the heavy favourite again, but Indonesia and the Philippines have been closing the gap. Whether you follow the FGC scene, MOBAs, or Battle Royale, there is something on the Aichi card for you. Block out that last week of September and the first few days of October now — these are full-medal events with national pride on the line. Follow our events coverage for post-match recaps as the Games unfold.

Game News

BlizzCon 2026 Watch Guide: Schedule, SGT Times & Free Streams

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Blizzard’s biggest fan convention is back — and for Singapore gamers who play Overwatch, World of Warcraft, Diablo, or Hearthstone, it’s one of the most important weekends of the gaming year. BlizzCon 2026 runs on 12–13 September at the Anaheim Convention Center in California, and the entire main programme is being livestreamed for free. You don’t need a ticket to catch the Opening Ceremony, developer panels, or World Championship matches — just a Twitch or YouTube account.

BlizzCon 2026 | Ticket Sale Announcement Trailer — via Blizzard Entertainment on YouTube

Day 1 Schedule in SGT (Sunday, 13 September)

Because PDT is 15 hours behind Singapore Standard Time, all Day 1 programming lands in the very early hours of Sunday morning SGT. Set your alarm — or just stay up.

  • 1:30am – 2:45am SGT — Opening Ceremony (Main Stage / Hall D)
  • 3:00am SGT — World of Warcraft: What’s Next | Overwatch World Cup Quarterfinals 1 | Hearthstone Championship Quarterfinals begin | MDI Grand Finals: Dignitas vs Big Lucky
  • 4:00am – 7:00am SGT — OWWC Quarterfinals 2, 3, 4 running back to back in the Arena
  • 4:45am SGT — Diablo: Developer Update (Main Stage)
  • 5:45am SGT — World of Warcraft: What’s Next II
  • 6:45am SGT — Overwatch: Hero Deep Dive
BlizzCon 2026 Day 1 full schedule
Image courtesy of Blizzard Entertainment

Day 2 Schedule in SGT (Monday, 14 September)

Day 2 also runs overnight SGT, but the closing act — K-pop act Le Sserafim — lands at a mercifully reasonable hour for Singapore fans.

  • 1:00am SGT — World of Warcraft: Deep Dive
  • 2:00am – 8:00am SGT — AWC Grand Finals (WoW Arena World Championship) — $600,000 combined AWC & MDI prize pool
  • 9:00am SGT — Le Sserafim live performance
  • 9:30am SGT — Trophy Ceremony

Full schedule and any last-minute changes are listed at blizzcon.com.

How to Watch from Singapore (and Earn Free Rewards)

All major panels and esports broadcasts stream free on the official Twitch and YouTube channels for each Blizzard game — search for the Warcraft, Overwatch, Diablo, Hearthstone, or StarCraft channel on either platform. Musical performances are in-person only.

Link your Battle.net account to Twitch or YouTube before the event and you’ll accumulate viewership rewards while you watch. Each game offers different drops — WoW hands out gold and a mount after 12 hours, Overwatch awards Prism Chests on Day 1 and Day 2, Hearthstone gives Standard card packs, StarCraft gives a 10-Day XP Boost, and Heroes of the Storm drops a 7-Day Boost after one hour.

BlizzCon 2026 viewership rewards for WoW, Overwatch, Diablo, Hearthstone, StarCraft, HotS
Image courtesy of Blizzard Entertainment

Overwatch World Cup 2026 Takes the Arena

Singapore made it through the ASIA Conference Cup qualifiers and into the Group Stage held in Busan, South Korea in August — a strong showing from the local Overwatch scene. The eight teams who punched through to the BlizzCon Playoffs are USA, Sweden, Saudi Arabia, Australia, Germany, Spain, France, and South Korea. The quarterfinal matchups on Day 1 are: Saudi Arabia vs Spain, Germany vs Sweden, USA vs South Korea, and France vs Australia. Semifinals and finals run through Day 2 with the trophy ceremony closing the show.

For Singapore’s Overwatch community, rooting for a favourite team online is the next best thing to being there — and every OWWC Twitch or YouTube view earns you chests in-game. Check out our game news coverage for more on the Overwatch World Cup 2026 leading up to the event.

What Could Blizzard Announce?

Blizzard has not confirmed specific reveals beyond what’s on the schedule, but two back-to-back “What’s Next” panels for World of Warcraft and a separate Deep Dive on Day 2 are a strong signal that major WoW content is incoming — community speculation centres on a first look at The Last Titan, the third and final chapter of the Worldsoul Saga. The Diablo Developer Update and Overwatch Hero Deep Dive suggest news for both franchises. And if the StarCraft community’s rumour mill is anything to go by, the Classic Cup Stage might not be the only StarCraft content on the show floor.

BlizzCon 2026 commemorative gift items including tin, bag, pins and wristband
Image courtesy of Blizzard Entertainment

In-person attendees also receive a Commemorative Gift — a BlizzCon tin, drawstring bag, enamel pins, and a wristband featuring iconic Blizzard characters. Exclusive in-game cosmetics from the Digital Bundle are available to purchase separately at gear.blizzard.com.

BlizzCon 2026 is one of those rare weekends where Blizzard fans across every franchise — from Hearthstone collectors to hardcore WoW raiders — tune in together. Whether you set an alarm for the 1:30am Opening Ceremony or sleep in and catch Le Sserafim at 9am on the Monday, there’s something in this lineup worth watching.

Event

Shadowverse ICS 2026 Is Coming to Suntec Singapore — Here’s What to Know

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Competitive card game players and Shadowverse: Worlds Beyond fans in Singapore have a major event to mark on their calendars: the Shadowverse International Championship 2026 Singapore (ICS 2026) is heading to Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre, Hall 405, on 26–27 September 2026. This is the first-ever offline Shadowverse international championship held in Singapore, and the stakes are as high as they get in the game’s competitive circuit.

What Is the Shadowverse International Championship?

The ICS 2026 Singapore is part of the Shadowverse: Worlds Beyond competitive circuit run by Cygames. It is a direct qualifier event for the World Grand Prix (WGP) 2026 — the pinnacle of the Shadowverse esports calendar. Win the ICS 2026 Singapore, and you earn a seat at the WGP’s Day 1 table.

The event spans two days and features both a main competitive bracket and subevents, giving players across different skill levels structured gameplay to take part in throughout the weekend. More details on the full schedule and subevent format are available on the official ICS 2026 Singapore website.

Prize Pool and What the Winner Gets

Shadowverse ICS 2026 Singapore prize money breakdown
Image courtesy of Cygames

The top prize for the ICS 2026 Singapore winner is US$30,000 plus a direct invitation to WGP 2026 Day 1 — one of the most coveted slots in the game’s competitive scene. All participants who take part in the tournament receive an exclusive playmat and original emblem as keepsakes of the event.

Event Details at a Glance

  • Date: 26–27 September 2026
  • Venue: Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre, Hall 405
  • Game: Shadowverse: Worlds Beyond
  • Top Prize: US$30,000 + WGP 2026 Day 1 invitation
  • Participant Perks: Exclusive playmat and emblem
  • Organiser: Cygames

What This Means for Singapore’s Card Game Scene

Shadowverse ICS 2026 Singapore championship visual
Image courtesy of Cygames

For Singapore’s trading card game community, landing an international Shadowverse championship here is a meaningful milestone. Local players can compete for a WGP seat without travelling abroad — a significant shift for a game whose highest-level play has largely been concentrated in Japan and online. The US$30,000 grand prize also puts this firmly in the conversation as one of the higher-value card game tournaments to touch down in Singapore this year.

Registration for the main event has closed, so players who have already qualified can start preparing their decks. For those watching from the sidelines, the official site has information on following the action live. Singapore hosts a strong card game calendar — check out other gaming events we’ve covered for more competitive play happening in the region.

The ICS 2026 Singapore official website: ics.shadowverse-wb.com/en/

Game News

Could Singapore Host The International 2027? Here’s What We Know

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The International 2026 wrapped up in Shanghai on 23 August with Team Spirit lifting the Aegis for an unprecedented third time — and the local Dota 2 scene barely had a moment to celebrate before the next question took over: where is TI2027? Valve stayed silent on that during the closing ceremony, and now insider reports from Cybersport.ru are pointing to Singapore as the frontrunner.

Dota 2 gameplay screenshot
Image courtesy of Valve

What Actually Happened at TI2026

First, the confirmed facts. Team Spirit defeated TEAM VISION 3-2 in a five-game grand final thriller at Shanghai’s Oriental Sports Center, becoming the game’s first-ever three-time world champions. Carry player Illya “Yatoro” Mulyarchuk and offlaner Magomed “Collapse” Khalilov are now the first Dota 2 players to claim three Aegis of Champions each, having previously taken the title in 2021 and 2023. The broadcast peaked at 1.79 million concurrent viewers — a strong number for a format that has seen its total prize pool shift in recent years.

Traditionally, Valve announces the following year’s host city and venue on the final day of the current TI. That did not happen at TI15. Streamer Finargot and other community members publicly expressed frustration at the end of the event, but as of publishing Valve has released no statement on TI2027’s location.

GRAND FINAL! TEAM VISION vs TEAM SPIRIT – HIGHLIGHTS – The International 2026 | DOTA 2 — via PGL DOTA2 on YouTube

The Singapore Rumour — What Insider Sources Say

Cybersport.ru, citing unnamed sources familiar with the situation, reported shortly after TI2026 concluded that Singapore is under consideration as the host city for The International 2027. That is the entirety of what has been reported — no venue, no dates, no confirmation from Valve. This is a rumour, not an announcement, and Singapore gamers should treat it as one until official word arrives.

That said, the rumour is not baseless. Singapore is one of the most proven esports host cities in the world. We hosted The International 2022, where Tundra Esports won the Aegis and walked away with what was then an $18.9 million prize pool — the largest in esports history at the time. The infrastructure, the government support for esports events, and the strong Southeast Asian Dota 2 player base all make Singapore a logical choice on paper.

Dota 2 gameplay — The International 2026
Image courtesy of Valve

Why Singapore Gamers Are Watching This Closely

TI2022 remains one of the most exciting live esports events Singapore has ever hosted. The atmosphere at the Singapore Indoor Stadium, the sea of regional fans, the local Dota 2 community coming together — anyone who was there (or watched locally) will tell you it was something else. A return of TI to Singapore would be massive for the local scene, and for fans across Southeast Asia who rarely get a world-class Dota 2 event in the region.

The HardwareZone forums — a reliable thermometer for Singaporean gaming sentiment — already have threads running on this, with plenty of community enthusiasm about the prospect.

Dota 2 competitive gameplay screenshot
Image courtesy of Valve

The Bottom Line

Nothing is confirmed. Valve has a track record of announcing TI host cities on their own timeline, and the silence after TI15’s closing ceremony may simply mean they are not ready to announce yet — not that Singapore (or anywhere else) is locked in. We will be watching this one closely, and the moment Valve makes anything official, we will have it covered. Until then, keep this firmly in the “exciting possibility” column and follow our gaming news section for updates.

Game News

SonicFox Wins Marvel Tōkon at CEO 2026 — Spider-Man on Every Single Top 8 Team

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Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls launched on 6 August. By 16 August — just ten days later — the game had already produced its first major tournament champion. At CEO 2026 in Orlando, Florida, 1,054 players entered the Marvel Tōkon bracket, making it the second-largest event at the entire show behind only Street Fighter 6. When the grand finals concluded, multi-Evo champion Dominique “SonicFox” McLean was standing with the CEO belt — won from the losers’ side — and the early competitive meta had snapped into focus. Singapore players who picked up the game have a lot to learn from what happened in Orlando.

CEO 2026 – MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls Top 8 — via CEO Gaming on YouTube

SonicFox’s Loser’s Run Was the Story of CEO 2026 Marvel Tōkon

Captain America attacks Danger in Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls
Image courtesy of Marvel Games / PlayStation Studios

SonicFox entered the bracket as a contender but ran into trouble early, losing to Steve “Supernoon” Carbajal and dropping into the losers’ side. What followed was the highlight of the entire event: SonicFox ran an unconventional team anchored by Green Goblin — a character virtually absent on any other top-level lineup at the time — and picked off opponent after opponent. Key scalps on the losers’ side included two-time Evo champion William “Leffen” Hjelte, before SonicFox came back in grand finals to defeat Supernoon and take the title. The full loser’s bracket run is widely being called one of the most impressive performances at CEO 2026 across all games at the event.

Full CEO 2026 Marvel Tōkon Top 8 Results

Here are the final standings and the four-character team compositions each player brought to the top 8:

  1. SonicFox — Spider-Man / Green Goblin / Magneto / Blade
  2. Supernoon — Blade / Magik / Spider-Man / Magneto
  3. kayos — Spider-Man / Peni Parker / Deadpool / Carnage
  4. Leffen — Spider-Man / Magik / Black Panther / Blade
  5. BlueSkyGuyBSG — Ghost Rider / Spider-Man / Magneto / Blade
  6. Akash — Blade / Spider-Man / Magneto / Storm
  7. JaazzRap — Wolverine / Spider-Man / Magneto / Blade
  8. Yamii — Storm / Spider-Man / Green Goblin / Magik

Spider-Man Is in Every Top 8 Team — and Green Goblin Is the Early Wild Card

Spider-Man says I'm ready in a comic-panel super move in Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls
Image courtesy of Marvel Games / PlayStation Studios

The clearest pattern from the top 8 data: Spider-Man appeared on all eight teams without exception, giving him a 100% usage rate at the first major for Marvel Tōkon. Blade (5 of 8 teams) and Magneto (4 of 8) round out the early power trio. Analysis from the competitive community describes Spider-Man’s dominance as a reflection of the game’s current preference for characters with “decent mix-up on their own or strong buttons to control space in neutral” — and Spider-Man excels at both.

Green Goblin is the character everyone is now watching. SonicFox made him their primary carry throughout the losers’ run; his “incredible mix-up potential” was called out as the key to several of the toughest wins. The fact that almost no one else at the top level was running Green Goblin makes SonicFox’s result all the more striking — it is early enough in the game’s lifecycle that we cannot yet tell whether Green Goblin is a genuinely top-tier pick or simply a character SonicFox has studied and executed at a level others have not yet matched.

Doctor Doom fires a massive energy blast in Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls
Image courtesy of Marvel Games / PlayStation Studios

Other takeaways: Peni Parker, Deadpool and Carnage (kayos’s 3rd-place team) represent a completely different style from the Blade-Magneto core most of the field ran, hinting that the roster has more viable paths than the current meta suggests. Wolverine (JaazzRap) and Ghost Rider (BlueSkyGuyBSG) also placed, evidence that the character pool is not locked to a handful of dominant picks — yet.

What Singapore Players Should Take from CEO 2026

Wolverine snarls with adamantium claws ready in Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls
Image courtesy of Marvel Games / PlayStation Studios

1,054 entrants for a game that was barely a week old is a genuinely strong debut for any fighting game’s competitive scene. It shows the player base exists and is motivated to compete, which bodes well for local and regional events to come. The Singapore fighting game community tends to organically follow whatever the global competitive meta dictates, so the CEO 2026 findings are directly relevant for anyone grinding Marvel Tōkon now.

The short version: Spider-Man is the anchor to build around. Blade and Magneto are strong, proven partners. If you want to invest in Green Goblin, CEO 2026 showed that a committed, disciplined main can win a Tier 1 major with him. The meta is two weeks old. There is still time to shape it.

Game News

MLBB MCT SEA Officially Launches — MPL Singapore’s Road to M8

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Southeast Asia’s Mobile Legends: Bang Bang scene just got its own unified road to the world stage. MOONTON Games has officially launched the MLBB Championship Tour Southeast Asia (MCT SEA) — a regional championship bringing together 12 teams from all 11 SEA countries into a single bracket, with the top four earning direct qualification to the M8 World Championship.

MLBB Championship Tour SEA 2026 — team representatives
Image courtesy of MOONTON Games

What Is the MLBB Championship Tour SEA?

The MCT SEA is the third regional chapter in MLBB’s new five-region global structure, which was unveiled at the M7 World Championship earlier this year. The structure spans Southeast Asia, the Americas (AMER), East Asia (EA), Europe/Middle East/Africa (EMEA), and Eastern Europe/Central Asia (EECA). The AMER and EA circuits already completed their inaugural runs in 2026, with Entity7 and Guangzhou Gaming representing their regions at the MLBB Mid Season Cup at the Esports World Cup in Paris. SEA is now the third region to get its own Championship Tour circuit.

The MCT SEA will feature 12 teams divided across four groups, playing under the banner of their respective national leagues and qualifiers. What makes this significant is who gets access: for the first time, teams from the MLBB Development League (MDL) Philippines, MDL Indonesia, and the MLBB Academy League (MAL) Malaysia will have a direct shot at the M8 World Championship — something previously only available to franchised MPL sides.

MCT SEA 2026 group breakdown infographic
Image courtesy of MOONTON Games

How MPL Singapore Gets In

For Singapore fans, the headline is this: MPL Singapore holds a direct qualifying slot in Groups A, B, or C. Those three groups also include representatives from MSL Myanmar, MPL Cambodia, and open qualifiers from Vietnam, Timor-Leste, Brunei, and Laos. Thailand gets an extra team for hosting the inaugural MCT SEA — MSL Thailand sends two sides, one through its standard qualifying slot and one through the host-country bonus.

Group D is the Open League Qualifier group, where MDL Philippines, MDL Indonesia, and MAL Malaysia compete for a single slot into the Knockout Playoffs. The top two teams from each of Groups A, B, and C advance directly to the Knockout Playoffs, while third-place teams battle through a last-chance qualifier for the final spot.

MCT SEA 2026 official logo
Image courtesy of MOONTON Games

The Road to Istanbul — and Bangkok

Finishing in the top four at the MCT SEA Knockout Playoffs leads to the M Series:

  • 1st and 2nd place: Direct to the M8 Main Stage in Istanbul, Türkiye (January 2027)
  • 3rd and 4th place: Advance to the M8 Wild Card in Bangkok, Thailand, where three more teams earn a Main Stage berth

The tournament carries a USD 50,000 prize pool and the inaugural MCT SEA trophy. The MCT SEA is scheduled to open the M8 qualification cycle in Q4 2026, after local league seasons conclude — per third-party tournament data, the event window runs through December.

MCT SEA 2026 path to M8 World Championship infographic
Image courtesy of MOONTON Games

SEA as the Foundation of MLBB Esports — and What Comes Next

The timing of the MCT SEA launch is deliberate. September marks MLBB’s 10th Anniversary, and MOONTON is leaning into Southeast Asia’s role as the game’s original home. The region now re-enters the global conversation not as a dominant franchised force but as the proving ground for an expanded field of challengers.

“Southeast Asia has built the foundation of MLBB Esports as we see today. As the M Series continues to bring MLBB Esports to a wider global stage, the MCT SEA builds on that foundation by giving qualifying teams from across the region a shared championship, where performance determines who earns a place at the M8. For emerging players and teams, it is an opportunity to prove themselves, build their profiles, reach new audiences, and take the next step towards the world stage.”

— Dylan Chia, Head of Esports Southeast Asia, MOONTON Games

The M7 World Championship, held earlier in 2026, attracted more than 5.68 million Peak Concurrent Viewers — the most-watched mobile esports tournament in history, according to Esports Charts. With M8 heading to Istanbul for the first time in MLBB’s history, SEA teams that make it through the MCT SEA will be representing the region on the biggest stage the game has ever seen.

More schedule details and bracket information for the MCT SEA are expected to be announced in the coming weeks. Follow MPL Singapore on Facebook and the MLBB Esports official Instagram for updates as they drop. For more esports news on the region, check back here at GameTrader.SG.

MLBB MCT SEA 2026 inaugural trophy
Image courtesy of MOONTON Games

Game News, Singapore Gaming Scene

Pokémon Worlds 2026: SEA Players, Free Stream Guide and PokémonXP

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The 2026 Pokémon World Championships arrive in San Francisco from 28 to 30 August — and for the first time ever, they run alongside PokémonXP, an all-new official fan convention celebrating 30 years of the franchise. Whether you are a competitive player tracking your region’s qualifiers or a fan who simply wants to watch the world’s best trainers battle it out, here is everything Singapore and Southeast Asia fans need to know.

Exhibitor Reveal | PokémonXP & 2026 Pokémon World Championships — via The Official Pokémon YouTube channel

Four Formats, One Stage — Including Pokémon Champions’ Debut

This year’s championship features four competitive formats. The big addition is Pokémon Champions, The Pokémon Company’s new video game title, which makes its debut at Worlds 2026 for the VGC format. Alongside it, the Pokémon Trading Card Game runs on the 2026-27 Standard format, Pokémon GO uses Great League rules, and Pokémon UNITE brings team-based MOBA competition to the stage.

Preliminary rounds and Swiss matches take place at the Moscone Center on 28–29 August. Championship Sunday on 30 August is the Grand Finals — and for the first time at Worlds, the VGC and TCG finals move to the Chase Center, home of the Golden State Warriors, for a proper arena experience.

Incineroar faces off against Arceus in Pokémon Champions
Image courtesy of The Pokémon Company
Pokémon Champions | World Overview Trailer — via The Official Pokémon YouTube channel

Southeast Asia at Pokémon Worlds 2026

Southeast Asia is well represented this year. In Pokémon UNITE, the Singapore and Malaysia combined qualifier sent TeamMYS (Malaysia) through to San Francisco. Other SEA teams making the trip include Team Nemesis from the Philippines, Strong Basketball Player 1 from Thailand, and ONIC Rise and Tryhard from Indonesia.

For Pokémon GO, Singapore players competed through the Pokémon GO Asia Championship Series 2026 Great League qualifier, which covered Singapore as part of the APAC bracket; top-ranked players from that series earned a Day 1 spot at Worlds. For VGC and TCG, SEA players earned Championship Points through sanctioned live tournaments across the 2025-26 season to qualify individually.

PokémonXP and World Championships 2026 logos
Image courtesy of The Pokémon Company

PokémonXP — Pokémon’s First Fan Convention Alongside Worlds

New this year: PokémonXP, an official fan event running concurrently with the championships at the Moscone Center and the adjacent Yerba Buena Gardens. It is Pokémon’s first dedicated convention experience tied to a World Championships, and it is open to fans who are not competing — you do not need to be a qualified competitor to attend.

The programming spans panels with TCG illustrators and franchise creators, a hands-on Workshop Zone where attendees can make their own Pokémon crafts, a PlayLab for beginners, an Autograph Room with special guests, and cosplay showcases. There is also a pop-up Pokémon Center store selling exclusive merchandise and the Worlds 2026 Champion Line.

2026 Pokémon World Championships Competitor Welcome Kit including backpack, Pikachu plush, cap, and more
Image courtesy of The Pokémon Company

Qualified competitors receive a Welcome Kit on-site that includes a San Francisco 2026 backpack, a Crown Pikachu plush, a lanyard, a Competitor cap, a Pokémon TCG deck box, a playmat, and a t-shirt. The kit also includes an exclusive promo TCG card: Paradise Resort, a Trainer Stadium card illustrated by Naoki Saito that reduces Psyduck retreat costs — and already looks like a must-have collectible.

Paradise Resort TCG Trainer Stadium card included in the 2026 Worlds Competitor Welcome Kit
Image courtesy of The Pokémon Company

How to Watch Pokémon Worlds 2026 Free from Singapore

All four formats are streamed live and free. Tune in at the Play! Pokémon Broadcast Hub, on the Official Pokémon YouTube channel, or on the Official Pokémon Twitch channel. A Japanese-language stream also runs on YouTube and Niconico.

Be prepared for late nights: preliminary rounds begin at roughly 9am PDT (midnight–1am SGT) each day, with matches running through to late afternoon PDT. Championship Sunday on 30 August starts with Pokémon UNITE, followed by Pokémon GO, the TCG final, and finally the VGC Grand Final — the last match could run into the early hours of 31 August SGT.

The upside: Twitch Drops are active. Watch via a linked Twitch account during the live streams to earn a battle-ready Blastoise in Pokémon Champions, special illustration rare cards in Pokémon TCG Live, and more in-game rewards. Details are on the Pokémon Championship Series site.

Heading to San Francisco? The pre-event Pokémon Worlds Night at Oracle Park with the San Francisco Giants takes place on 27 August — the night before Worlds opens — with a limited Pikachu jersey giveaway and a post-game drone show. Ticket info is available through the Giants’ official site.

More details and the full daily schedule are available at worlds.pokemon.com and pokemonxp.com. For more Pokémon coverage, check out our game news section.

Event

Singapore to Host First CS2 Major in SEA — PGL Major Singapore 2026

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Singapore has never hosted a Counter-Strike Major. That’s about to change.

The PGL Major Singapore 2026 has been confirmed, bringing the highest tier of CS2 competition to Southeast Asia for the very first time. Thirty-two of the world’s best teams will compete for a $1.25 million USD prize pool across November and December — with the live finals landing at Singapore Indoor Stadium, The Kallang.

What Makes a CS2 Major — and Why This One Hits Different

CS2 Majors are the World Cup of Counter-Strike. They happen twice a year, organised by Valve and produced by a tournament organiser awarded the rights — in this case, PGL (known for high-production CS Majors in Antwerp, Paris, Copenhagen, and Shanghai). Until now, a Major had never come to Southeast Asia.

PGL’s CEO put it plainly in the announcement: “Bringing the first Counter-Strike Major to Singapore is a moment that truly inspires us,” as reported by GamerBraves. For a region that sends competitive players and a massive spectator audience to international events every year — but has never had a Major on home soil — this is a genuine landmark.

PGL Singapore Major 2026 — via PGL on YouTube

Format, Prize Pool, and One Historic First

Thirty-two teams compete in a Swiss-format group stage, which collapses into a single-elimination bracket for playoffs and finals. The prize pool breakdown: $500,000 to the champion, $170,000 to runners-up, and $45,000 each to the quarterfinalists (5th–8th place).

There is also a notable structural first: the PGL Major Singapore 2026 will feature the first-ever official third-place decider match in CS Major history. The top four teams at the Singapore Indoor Stadium won’t just play for gold and silver — a bronze final is on the schedule too.

Counter-Strike 2 team lineup in CS2
Image courtesy of Valve

How Teams Qualify — The VRS Race Is Live Right Now

There are no traditional RMR qualifier events this cycle. Valve has moved to a pure rankings system: teams earn points through the Valve Regional Standings (VRS) across major leagues and LANs, and the top-ranked teams at the final cut-off date earn invitations to the Major.

That cut-off is November 2, 2026 — meaning the qualification race is happening right now. Every match in ESL Pro League, BLAST Premier, and the regional circuits directly affects which 32 organisations will be on a flight to Singapore. For SEA teams, this is historic motivation: a chance to compete at a Major without leaving the region.

Counter-Strike 2 first-person gameplay on Anubis map
Image courtesy of Valve

Finals at Singapore Indoor Stadium — December 10–13

The tournament opens November 25 with group-stage matches. The live final stages — where the last eight teams battle on the main stage — come to Singapore Indoor Stadium at The Kallang from December 10 to 13, 2026.

Singapore Indoor Stadium at The Kallang, venue for PGL Major Singapore 2026 finals
Image courtesy of The Kallang

Singapore Indoor Stadium has hosted everything from K-pop showcases to major sporting events. Watching world-class CS2 live on that floor — with PGL’s production values behind it — will be a completely different kind of spectacle for the Singapore gaming community.

Counter-Strike 2 gameplay on Inferno map
Image courtesy of Valve

Tickets and spectator passes have not been officially announced yet. Monitor the official PGL Singapore Major page for updates. For more gaming events in Singapore, check our full events coverage.

Event

Game On, Dreamers! G.O.D. Mode — Sands Expo, 7–9 August

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Singapore’s gaming scene is about to get its biggest homegrown festival yet. Game On, Dreamers! — organised by Singapore-based GameOn Dreamers (SG) Pte Ltd and powered by amc asia! (sg) and Liminal Entertainment — is launching its inaugural G.O.D. Mode (Multiplayer Offline Digital Event) over National Day weekend: 7 to 9 August 2026 at Sands Expo & Convention Centre, Halls D, E & F.

The Singapore Tourism Board is backing the event, and the team has already locked in strategic partnerships with global gaming company CAPCOM and creator network Social Seed. If that opening line-up is any indication, G.O.D. Mode is positioning itself as a permanent new fixture on Singapore’s pop-culture events calendar.

Three Zones, One Long Weekend

Players gathering around Street Fighter 6 arcade cabinets at a community event
Image courtesy of CAPCOM

The festival floor spans three distinct themed areas designed to serve every kind of gamer:

  • Dream World — immersive tech and virtual reality experiences
  • Dream Battle — the competitive esports arena, with professional tournaments and open community brackets
  • Dream Play — anime fandom, cosplay competitions, indie game developers and creator showcases

Executive Producer Terence Kuek sums it up directly: “At its heart, gaming is about connection, shared experiences and community — and that is what we want this playfest to celebrate.”

CAPCOM On Board at G.O.D. Mode — Street Fighter and More

Street Fighter 6, CAPCOM's flagship fighting game
Image courtesy of CAPCOM

The highest-profile announced partner is CAPCOM, which has signed an MOU to bring its franchises to G.O.D. Mode through competitive play, community showcases and curated experiences. Ricky Bian Li, Managing Director of CAPCOM Singapore, said: “Singapore continues to be an important market for gaming culture in Southeast Asia. We are excited to explore how our franchises can engage fans through competitive play, community showcases and curated experiences at G.O.D. Mode.”

Street Fighter 6 is the obvious CAPCOM title for Dream Battle tournament play, and the broader esports slate is expected to include Valorant, Mobile Legends, League of Legends and Dota 2 — covering the full range from FGC to MOBA to tactical shooters. Official programming details per title are to be confirmed closer to the event.

Singapore, Certified Esports Destination

The Singapore Tourism Board’s backing is deliberate: STB Director Lilian Chee noted that G.O.D. Mode “adds a fresh dimension to our vibrant events calendar, reinforcing Singapore’s destination appeal” as a hub for esports. Broadcast partner Zenway Productions is planning global streaming, with CEO Li Jianming saying the goal is to “ensure Game On, Dreamers! delivers a premium esports experience that can be enjoyed both on-site and by audiences around the world.”

The National Day weekend timing is no accident. Running from 7 to 9 August gives Singaporeans a full long-weekend reason to show up — and the event is billed as inclusive for all skill levels, with family-friendly activities alongside the pro-level competition.

G.O.D. Mode Singapore: Dates, Venue and Tickets

Dates: 7–9 August 2026
Venue: Sands Expo & Convention Centre, Halls D, E & F (10 Bayfront Avenue, Marina Bay)
Tickets: Early bird tickets on sale now at gameondreamers.com — ticket pricing to be confirmed
Social: @gameondreamers on Instagram, TikTok and Facebook

See our full list of Singapore gaming and anime events we’re tracking this year.