The tournament will bring together popular gaming titles including Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI), Free Fire MAX, Moba Legends: 5v5!, Real Cricket, Chess (Chess.com), and EA SPORTS FC™ Mobile  

MS Dhoni is also entering the arena with his very own competitive club, Mahi Clutchers

Orangutan, GodLike, Apex Gaming, Revenant XSpark and Team S8UL to compete for the country’s best club crown

INDIA, October 23, 2026: Google Play and NODWIN Gaming are coming together to launch Google Play Arena, a gaming championship built to celebrate India’s vibrant mobile gaming community. Launching today with free registrations, the multi-phase championship will run open qualifiers in the coming weeks before culminating in a Grand Finale on December 19–20, 2026.  The platform brings together India’s biggest gaming clubs, sporting legend MS Dhoni – a passionate gamer himself, and a completely open grassroots competitive pathway to encourage India’s local gaming talent. 

Google Play Arena will feature competitions across a diverse line-up of titles, including Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI), Free Fire MAX, Moba Legends: 5v5!, Real Cricket, Chess (Chess.com), and EA SPORTS FC™ Mobile. The event will bring players and fans together through competitive gaming, club rivalries and community engagement, reflecting the breadth and diversity of India’s gaming landscape.

A key highlight of Google Play Arena will be the participation of MS Dhoni who will lead his team, Mahi Clutchers, into the competition as it vies for the title of the country’s best club. Built entirely from the ground up through open qualifiers, his team offers gamers a unique opportunity to compete under his banner. The tournament will also feature prominent gaming clubs such as Orangutan, GodLike, Apex Gaming, Revenant XSpark and S8UL, bringing established teams and their fan communities into the competition.

Google is collaborating with NODWIN Gaming, who will lead conceptualisation, planning, partnerships, and execution of Google Play Arena, bringing its expertise in community management, tournament operations, event production, campaign management and youth engagement to the initiative. The event will unite players, gaming clubs, publishers, gaming enthusiasts around a shared celebration of competitive gaming, supported by a line-up of popular titles and recognisable national sports icons. 

Akshat Rathee, Co-founder and Managing Director, NODWIN Gaming, said: “India’s gaming community continues to grow in both scale and diversity, with gaming becoming an increasingly important part of how young audiences connect, compete and engage with the interests they share. Google Play Arena brings that energy together through popular titles, established gaming clubs and the participation of the national icons like MS Dhoni who is a passionate gamer himself. At NODWIN Gaming, we look forward to bringing our experience in building gaming IPs and delivering large-scale competitive gaming experiences to create an event that resonates with players and fans across the country.”

Kanika Kalra, Director, Consumer Apps & Platforms Marketing, Google India, said: “Google Play has long supported India’s journey toward becoming a powerhouse of global app and gaming talent, and with Google Play Arena, we are expanding this commitment. India’s mobile gaming ecosystem continues to undergo exciting growth driven by a deeply passionate and strategic community of players, and our goal with this championship is to celebrate this talent on a national stage. By offering a structured, merit-led pathway from grassroots play to professional recognition, we are thrilled to partner with NODWIN Gaming to bring this celebration of gaming to life for players and fans across the country.”

The event will unite players, gaming clubs, publishers, gaming enthusiasts around a shared celebration of competitive gaming, supported by a line-up of popular titles. The road to the Grand Finale will be packed with momentum, and we look forward to having gaming enthusiasts and the entire community join us in this celebration. Keep a close lookout for special community unlocks, exclusive game offers, and opportunities to join us live at the arena.  

Free registration link here:

https://playpoints.withgoogle.com/perks/intl/en_in/events/google-play-arena

ENDS

About NODWIN Gaming:

NODWIN Gaming, a leader in new-age youth entertainment, gaming, sports and esports, holds a significant position in the global gaming and esports industry in emerging markets. Since its inception in 2014 by Akshat Rathee and Gautam Virk, NODWIN has established a global presence in regions such as Taiwan, South Asia, Singapore, the Middle East, Central Asia. The company’s business centres around building and monetising global youth access through pop culture, gaming, esports, live events, sports and content through IPs such as Leagues, Tournaments, Reality shows. It engages with Artists, Content creators, professional esports athletes, teams. Notable investors include Founders investment vehicle Good Game Investments, Nazara Technologies (BSE: NAZARA), KRAFTON Inc, Sony Group Corporation and JetSynthesys.

A key focus for NODWIN Gaming is the expertise in the global south and the timeshare of mindshare of the global youth on mobiles. NODWIN has established a dominant position worldwide in this space. By catering to the youth demographic, NODWIN is expanding its Total Addressable Market (TAM) by becoming increasingly relevant in the rapidly evolving digital entertainment landscape. Their diverse range of intellectual properties that engages the youth spans esports, gaming, pop culture, music, and comedy. This strategic expansion and cultivation of new intellectual properties are crucial to NODWIN’s aim of maintaining a significant role in the global youth media, gaming and esports Arena​s.

For more information, visit www.nodwingaming.com