New Delhi, January 07, 2026: STAIRS Foundation has announced the launch of STAIRS YUVA EA FC 2026 – Season 1, a national esports tournament designed to introduce a structured, governance-led competitive framework for esports development in India. The five-month season will run from January to May 2026 and aims to align esports competition with principles commonly followed in elite sports, including continuity, transparent rankings, and long-term athlete development.
The tournament will feature two online qualifiers each month, totalling 10 qualifiers over the season. Participants will earn ranking points after every qualifier, contributing to a continuously updated national leaderboard. An offline playoff, to be held in Delhi ahead of the finals, will determine two additional finalists. The top eight players will compete for a prize pool of ₹1,00,000 and the title of STAIRS YUVA EA FC Champion – Season 1.
STAIRS Foundation stated that the YUVA identity—Youth United Virtual Arena—reflects its focus on creating credible national platforms that reward merit and offer sustained visibility to young talent. The season-based format is positioned as a repeatable pathway rather than a one-time event, with the objective of nurturing esports athletes through structured competition.
As part of its governance-led approach, STAIRS has appointed Deeksha Sports Management (DSM) as the curation and implementation partner for the tournament. DSM will be responsible for athlete experience, competitive integrity, and operational execution across all stages. DSM is led by Lokmanyu Chaturvedi, who has represented India as both a player and coach in EA FC esports.
Commenting on the launch, Siddhartha Upadhyay, Founder, STAIRS Foundation, said, “STAIRS has consistently worked to build systems—not events—that serve youth over the long term. With STAIRS YUVA EA FC 2026 – Season 1, we extend this philosophy to esports by introducing a season-led, rankings-based structure that values consistency, integrity, and athlete growth. This initiative reflects our leadership in grassroots sport and youth development, and our confidence in esports as a credible, future-facing discipline when governed with the right intent.”
Lokmanyu Chaturvedi, Founder, Deeksha Sports Management, added, “A rankings ecosystem sustained over a season is fundamental to serious competitive development. STAIRS’ vision enables athletes to evolve through repeated, high-quality competition rather than isolated outcomes. Being entrusted by STAIRS to curate and implement this platform is an opportunity to apply global standards to the Indian EA FC ecosystem and to create meaningful pathways for the next generation of esports athletes.”
Registrations for STAIRS YUVA EA FC 2026 – Season 1 are currently open. The initiative positions STAIRS as a key stakeholder in shaping structured esports development in India, while reinforcing its broader mandate of youth-centric sports development across emerging and traditional disciplines.
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