Esports returns to Korean soil for an international showdown. The 'Esports Championships Asia 2026 (ECA 2026)' will be held over three days from Friday, April 24, to Sunday, April 26, at the Jinju Indoor Gymnasium in Gyeongsangnam-do. Featuring national teams from seven Asian countries—South Korea, China, Japan, Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, and Mongolia—this tournament serves as a crucial dress rehearsal ahead of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games this September.

Hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and co-organized by the Korea e-Sports Association, Gyeongsangnam-do, and Jinju City, ECA 2026 began as a Korea - China - Japan tournament in 2021 before expanding to cover all of Asia last year. With seven countries participating this year, it has reached its largest scale to date, cementing its status as Asia's premier esports event. Approximately 150 athletes and officials are expected to gather in Jinju, Gyeongsangnam-do, on the 24th.

Experience Every Match Live on Disney+!

Disney+ joins ECA 2026 as the official broadcaster, bringing all tournament matches to a global audience. Disney+ will hold exclusive global streaming rights for four of the six official titles: Street Fighter 6, The King of Fighters XV, Tekken 8, and the eFootball series (PC/mobile). PUBG Mobile and Eternal Return will also be broadcast live on the platform. With Disney’s sports brand, ESPN, integrated into the broadcast graphics and event experience, fans can expect a premium, differentiated sports viewing experience.

The first day, April 24, is dedicated to 'fighting games' and 'eFootball.' Street Fighter 6, The King of Fighters XV, Tekken 8, and the eFootball series will all be played, with these four titles available exclusively on Disney+. On April 25 and 26, PUBG Mobile (PUBG M) and Eternal Return will take center stage. Fans can look forward to two days of intense battle royale action featuring five Asian nations, as well as the international debut of Eternal Return, which joins the official roster for the first time at this year's ECA.

PUBG M can be viewed via the official Disney+ broadcast as well as the official Korea e-Sports Association YouTube and SOOP channels. Eternal Return matches will be available on the official Disney+ broadcast, as well as the publisher's channels on Chzzk and SOOP.

April 24 - Street Fighter 6 / The King of Fighters XV / Tekken 8

The opening day is headlined by fighting games. As all three titles are official events for the 2026 Asian Games, the ECA serves as a vital stage for evaluating the performance of national representatives.

The South Korean national team features names familiar to any fan of the genre. 'Knee' Bae Jae-min will compete in Tekken 8. Having remained at the pinnacle of the game for over 20 years since the days of Tekken 5 in 2005, he secured his spot on the national team with a dominant performance in the qualifiers.

Lee 'MadKof' Gwang-no will represent Korea in The King of Fighters XV. A living legend who has played the KOF series since the 90s, he is a veteran with high recognition throughout East Asia.

Yeon 'DakCorgi' Je-gil of kt Rolster will compete in Street Fighter 6. Known for his exceptional play with C. Viper, he has been selected for the national team for the second consecutive time, following his appearance at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games.

Other nations also feature faces familiar to Korean fans, such as Japan's Tekken 8 representative, Daichi 'NOBI' Nakayama, a master of Dragunov. The rivalry between Knee and NOBI is one of the most storied matchups in the fighting game community. Whether these two will face off again at the ECA is a key point of interest for Tekken eight fans.

April 24 - eFootball Series

The eFootball series, split into PC and mobile platforms, will also take place on the first day. Song Young-woo will represent South Korea in the PC division, while Kim Do-gyeom will compete in the mobile division, facing off against representatives from Japan, China, Vietnam, Thailand, and other nations.

eFootball is a soccer game serviced by KONAMI and is the successor to the PES series, formerly known as Winning Eleven.

April 25–26 - PUBG M

PUBG M returns as an official event for the first time in three years since the 2023 Korea - China - Japan Esports Tournament. Five South Korean representatives, including 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games veteran Park 'FAVIAN' Sang-cheol, will compete against teams from Japan, Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, and Mongolia. As PUBG M is particularly strong in Southeast Asia, the unpredictable skill gap between national teams is a major highlight to watch.

April 25–26 - Eternal Return

Eternal Return makes its debut as an official ECA event. Developed and serviced by Nimble Neuron, Eternal Return is a unique title that blends battle royale and MOBA genres. Five countries—South Korea, Japan, China, Vietnam, and Thailand—are participating. As this is its first appearance as an official event, fans are keenly focused on the performance of the home team, South Korea.

Experience the Excitement, Live on Disney+!

The Jinju Indoor Gymnasium is hosting its third international event. Jinju City plans to transform the tournament into a festival that goes beyond a simple competition, incorporating local culture with lantern exhibitions featuring game characters, cosplay parades, and game OST performances. With food trucks and local specialty booths, there is plenty to enjoy beyond the esports matches themselves.

Can't make it in person? 'Disney+' has you covered. The three fighting game titles and eFootball on April 24 are available exclusively on Disney+, and all PUBG M and Eternal Return matches on the 25th and 26th will also be available on the platform. Whether you are a fan of fighting games, PUBG M, or Eternal Return, there is something for everyone, with major storylines—like the potential Tekken showdown between Knee and NOBI—scattered throughout the event.

The partnership between Disney+ and Korean esports will continue beyond the ECA 2026. In the second half of this year, the official send-off ceremony and exhibition matches for the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games national team will be exclusively live-streamed on Disney+. Fans will be able to get an up-close, first look at the national team’s final preparations ahead of the Asian Games.