Though late to join the party, India has taken rapid strides over the last few years. The Indian viewership has doubled to 17 million in 2020 while the prize money has grown by 25-30%. The 2018 Asian Games was a sign of things to come, where e-sports was introduced as a demonstration sport. Unfortunately, because of the commercial arrangement between EA and FIFA, a lot of things are restricted and it remains an underdog. Until a few years ago, most FIFA tournaments were organised by local cybercafes with almost no cash prizes.

Source: Mint May 18, 2021 14:26 UTC