UK Schools Encouraged to Sign Up For EGAMES, the First Global Esports Competition Open to All Schools

British Esports

9 min read | 3 Nov 2026

• The new competition will connect students worldwide through safe, inclusive and purposeful esports
• The British Esports Federation co-created EGAMES and will organise a national tournament for participating schools, giving students the opportunity to qualify for the live finals
• National qualifiers will lead to live finals at GEMS School of Research & Innovation in Dubai in 2027

UK schools were today encouraged to register for EGAMES DUBAI27, the first-ever global esports competition open to every type of school, including state-funded, government-run, and independent schools. The initiative has been co-created by Varkey Group and the British Esports Federation, one of the world’s leading esports bodies, with support from national esports federations and education institutions.

The British Esports Federation will organise a national tournament for participating schools, giving students the opportunity to qualify for the live finals in Dubai in April 2027. The highest-ranking teams will secure a place in the finals. The UK joins 13 other national esports federations that have committed to supporting the global competition, with further federations expected to come on board in the coming weeks and months.

The UK, which counts nearly 40 million gamers, has a history of excelling on the global esports stage, with three first-place finishes at the 2025 Esports World Cup, and 85 participants from the UK overall.

EGAMES DUBAI27 will bring together students, schools and communities from across the world through safe, inclusive competition, giving young people the opportunity to represent their schools and countries on a global stage. Beyond gaming, the competition will help students develop teamwork, communication, resilience and digital skills, while creating pathways to opportunities in esports, technology and related industries. It will also encourage international cultural exchange and help parents and teachers better understand the educational benefits of esports.

Leading global K-12 education provider GEMS Education (K-12 is for students aged 5 to 18) has already joined EGAMES as an education partner, with the live finals taking place at the GEMS School of Research & Innovation (SRI). Other organisations across education, technology and other sectors are invited to support the initiative. As esports continues to grow worldwide, EGAMES aims to combine competition with education, inclusion and skills development, helping young people explore new opportunities in an increasingly digital world.

Students from around the world will compete for the title of EGAMES World Champion. The inaugural live finals will feature EA SPORTS FC 27, Rocket League and a Minecraft build tournament. EGAMES DUBAI27 will be open to young people studying during the 2026/27 academic year.

Teams will be able to earn medals and other prizes, including scholarships, experiences at the Esports Nations Cup and new hardware for their school facilities.

Dubai’s selection as the host city for the inaugural 2027 finals comes amid growing investment in gaming, talent development and competitive esports. This includes the Dubai Program for Gaming 2033, launched by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum; the Dubai Esports and Games Festival’s education and youth engagement programme; the Dubai Media Council’s establishment of the Dubai Gaming Committee; and the inclusion of esports among the priority emerging sports in the Dubai Sports Sector Strategic Plan 2033.

Alongside the finals, organisers plan to host an education summit for teachers, partners and stakeholders, covering esports education, digital skills, AI, safeguarding, coaching and future skills. Plans for a wider EGAMES education programme will be announced separately.

“I would encourage schools across the UK to register for this tournament and give their students the chance to develop their skills, showcase their creativity and compete on a global stage. The UK has an extraordinary wealth of young creative and digital talent, and we want to help nurture that potential,” said Sunny Varkey, Chairman and Founder of Varkey Group and GEMS Education (pictured, top right).

“Our aim is to bring young people from around the world together, giving them the opportunity to learn, connect, create, compete and lead. We want students to see how the skills they develop can open doors across technology, gaming, digital creativity and beyond. Their potential deserves to be nurtured, and their achievements recognised on a world stage.”

“Since 2016, the British Esports Federation has always focused on esports education and schools competition,” said British Esports President and GEMS Esports Ambassador, Chester King (pictured, top left).

“It is important to have competitions that create role models and heroes who inspire healthy competition. Our Student Champs series has more than 600 school teams competing across four titles, with our live finals viewed by hundreds of thousands of people. We now want to develop and encourage global competition between countries, so partnering with Varkey Group was the obvious choice to launch EGAMES. We have already spoken to a number of leading national esports federations that run school championships in their own countries.”

Esports has also been highlighted by the Commonwealth Youth Programme as an opportunity that aligns with its vision to empower young people and promote education and digital skills.

Layne Robinson, former Head of Social Policy at the Commonwealth Secretariat, said: “Esports engages young people across the Commonwealth, and while it is an entertaining spectacle, it is also an opportunity for participants to take part in team competition and develop new digital skills. Commonwealth Youth Ministers, in their last meeting, recognised the significant opportunities that esports offers in driving youth engagement, employability and fostering innovation in technology.”

Schools, national federations and education partners interested in participating or partnering can access further information through the EGAMES website www.egames.gg.

The esports federations that have committed to EGAMES DUBAI27 so far are:

• Association of Electronic Sports and Video Games of Argentina
• British Esports Federation
• Confederação Brasileira de Games e Esports
• Electronic Sports Kenya Federation
• Emirates Esports Federation (UAE)
• Esports Association Ghana
• Esports Australia
• Esports Federation of Nigeria
• Ireland Esports Federation
• Jordan Esports Federation
• New Zealand Esports Federation
• Polski Związek Esportu
• Türkiye Espor Federasyonu
• Zimbabwe Electronics Games Association

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About the British Esports Federation

Established in 2016, British Esports is the national body for esports in the UK.  As one of the world’s leading esports authorities, we are the recognised member of the European Esports Federation and Global Esports Federation for Great Britain and Northern Ireland. From nationwide amateur grassroots competition to cutting edge esports curriculum and national representation on the global stage, British Esports is dedicated to increasing levels of esports awareness, improving esports standards, and inspiring future esports talent. British Esports has also previously partnered with the NSPCC and offers esports coaching and safeguarding courses.

For more information and all the latest news, visit www.britishesports.org or follow British Esports on Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitch, YouTube, TikTok.