Gaming & Esports
South Korea Leads BMIC 2026 Day 1, India’s Outrage and K9 Esports Each Secure a Win
The BGMI International Cup (BMIC) 2026 opened in Mumbai on Friday, with South Korean teams quickly taking the lead. Nongshim RedForce, the 2026 Korea Esports League (KEL) champions, finished Day 1 with 72 points, one point ahead of compatriot Dplus KIA. Defending champions Kiwoom DRX secured third place with 56 points. Indian teams had moments of success: Outrage Esports and K9 Esports each won a match, earning two of the day’s six Chicken Dinners. Outrage finished fourth with 47 points, the highest score among Indian teams.
At the opening ceremony, DJ Alan Walker performed his track “Hero,” which has been featured in the BGMI lobby since the 2024 “Be A Hero” campaign. Ashish Shelar, President of the Esports Games Federation (ESGF) India, gave the keynote address, stating that esports is “no longer just gaming. It is a serious arena of skill, discipline and career opportunity for India’s tech‑savvy youth,” and added that BMIC proved India’s readiness for the global stage. Consul General Yoo Dongwan of the Republic of Korea in Mumbai was also in attendance.
The Day 1 standings show Korean dominance, with Dplus KIA and Kiwoom DRX also in the top three. The KEL runners‑up, Dplus KIA, won the opener on Rondo and were the only team to secure two Chicken Dinners. Both Korean teams earned 42 finish points, but Nongshim’s stronger placements gave them the one‑point advantage. Indian teams that remained competitive included Blitz Epigrotive Gaming (sixth), K9 Esports (eighth) and iQOO 8Bit (ninth). The 2026 BMSD champions iQOO SouL began in 13th place with 24 points, while KINOTROPE Gaming led Japan’s challenge in seventh.
Karan Pathak, Associate Director Esports at KRAFTON India, said the next two days in Mumbai will be “special.” Six matches each are scheduled for October 31 and November 1, and will be streamed live on the KRAFTON India Esports YouTube channel. Outrage trails Nongshim by 25 points, and with twelve matches remaining, Korea’s hold on the top three is not yet secure.