Skillhub Replaces ESFI as India’s Member in IESF and GEF

The Skillhub Online Games Federation (SOGF) has announced its induction into both the International Esports Federation (IESF) and the Global Esports Federation (GEF), a significant shift in governance for India’s competitive gaming scene. With this, SOGF replaces the Electronic Sports Federation of India (ESFI) in officially managing and organizing tournaments endorsed by the two international bodies.

According to a report by The Esports Advocate, SOGF will oversee key global circuits in India, including the World Esports Championship with IESF and the Global Esports Tour under GEF. Both events are expected to strengthen India’s integration into the global esports calendar, though details on their staging are yet to be revealed. 

Nandan Kumar Jha, founder of SOGF and also President of the International Mind Sports Association, has simultaneously taken on the role of senior advisor to GEF, positioning India’s interests more prominently in global esports policymaking.

This development, however, does not mark the end of ESFI’s operations. The federation has clarified to the Esports Advocate that it continues to function independently and will retain oversight on Asian Games and Olympic-related esports activities across South Asia. This parallel existence highlights a growing complexity in India’s esports governance, with multiple organizations managing different spheres of responsibility at both the domestic and international level.

SOGF has been active in promoting structured competition in India, having launched the “Esports Olympiad” in 2024 and hosting the Esports National Championship 2025. In positioning itself as a not-for-profit aligned with IT Laws 2023 and inspired by Olympic values of inclusivity and fairness, the organization has sought legitimacy through connections to global esports’ Olympic-linked institutions.

At the same time, the decision to host international esports governance within GEF and IESF raises questions about Saudi Arabia’s continuing influence, given Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan Al Saud’s positions as President of IESF and Vice President of GEF. His leadership connects directly to the Saudi government-backed Esports World Cup Foundation, a body increasingly shaping international competitive gaming.

For India, SOGF’s inclusion in these federations may deepen international exposure for its players and tournaments, but it also underlines the geopolitics influencing global esports. The first test of this new structure will lie in how quickly and effectively the World Esports Championship and Global Esports Tour activations materialize on Indian soil, and whether local players benefit from international exposure.