The Esports Federation of India (ESFI) has officially opened registrations for 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.
Now in its fourth edition, Oxy is hosted annually by the Russian Esports Federation and aims to promote global student engagement in structured esports. Oxy-2025 will bring together student teams from nearly 50 countries across five continents to compete on an international stage.
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 Russian rubles (first), 1,250,000 Russian Rubles (second), 750,000 Russian Rubles (3rd), 500,000 Russian Rubles (4th), and 125,000 Russian Rubles each for teams placing fifth to eighth. 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, and India will qualify through the South Asia Division, which wraps up by 31 August.
Registrations for NESC 2025 are open now and will remain so until 2 August 2025. Qualifier matches are scheduled to begin from 8 August and will be conducted in online and/or physical formats. Eligible participants must be aged 16–25 as of 1 January 2025 and enrolled in any recognised Indian or overseas institution—full-time, part-time, or correspondence.
ESFI director Lokesh Suji 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 way the qualifiers for U-18 team India selection for third Asian Youth Games, Bahrain and now we are excited to present opportunities for university students also; We look forward to strong participation from across India’s colleges and universities.”
Oxy-2025 is expected to feature teams from 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 (Middle East & North Africa), and Sub-Saharan Africa. Notable participants include countries like Guatemala, Nigeria, Uzbekistan, Sri Lanka, Namibia, and Ethiopia. India joins this international roster through the NESC 2025 qualifiers.
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