BGMI India Rising Series 2026 Round 1 begins Friday with 512 teams in action
Fresh off the record-breaking BGIS 2026 Grand Finals that saw Team Soul crowned champions in Chennai, the BGMI competitive calendar rolls straight into the India Rising Series. Run by Krafton India in partnership with Upthrust Esports, the tournament carries a 10 lakh rupee prize pool and is designed as a pathway for emerging talent.
512 teams through from qualifiers
In-game qualifiers ran from March 27 to 29, with teams competing across 15 matches on Erangel and Miramar. Their best 10 results determined standings, and 512 squads made the cut for Round 1. Those teams are now grouped into 32 pools of 16, and each pool will play six matches from April 3 to 6. Only the top eight from each group go through to Round 2.
A long road to the Grand Finals
The tournament structure demands consistency over a sustained period. After Round 1, the surviving 256 teams enter Round 2 with 16 groups. That narrows the field to 64 for the quarter-finals, then 32 for the semi-finals, and eventually 16 for the Grand Finals scheduled from April 24 to 26. The winning squad takes home 3 lakh rupees from the total prize pool.
A stepping stone to the pro circuit
The India Rising Series is an official IP of BGIS 2026, which means strong results here could open doors to the BGMI Pro Series later in the year. For the hundreds of amateur and semi-pro squads entering, this is a genuine shot at breaking into the competitive scene. The BGIS Grand Finals in Chennai pulled in 600,000 concurrent viewers and showed how quickly mobile esports audiences are growing in India. The India Rising Series may not carry the same prize money, but for the teams competing, it is the first rung on the ladder.
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