Team Aryan x TMG Esports has clinched the Battlegrounds Mobile India Pro Series 2025 (BMPS 2025) crown and secured India’s slot at the PUBG Mobile World Cup (PMWC) 2025 in Riyadh. Yet an age-old obstacle looms… visa delays. Indian esports talent routinely falters not on the virtual battlefield, but at diplomatic checkpoints.
In 2019, three Indian PUBG Mobile teams, SOUL, TeamIND and Indian Tigers, earned slots to the global finals in Berlin, only to have their German visas rejected on grounds of “risk of overstay” and lack of a formal esports governing body. Forced to compete from New Delhi with crippling ping disadvantages, they watched opportunity slip away.
Similarly, Godlike Esports was slated for the COD Mobile Masters in São Paulo this April, but Brazilian visa delays dashed their hopes, as the team’s management revealed a 15-day embassy backlog that made timely travel impossible. Even organizations with government recognition, like Global Esports, have lobbied for “special athlete passports” after their Valorant roster’s South Korea and Brazil visa applications dragged on for months, imperiling participation in major international fixtures.
These incidents underscore systemic friction: visa protocols treat esports athletes as tourists or general workers, neglecting the unique nature of global competition. Furthermore, embassies demand bank statements, letters of invitation and proof of no intention to remain abroad. This documentation often arrives too late or is insufficient. Meanwhile, counterpart nations streamline accreditation for traditional sports stars, leaving Indian gamers scrambling.
Can Team Aryan x TMG Esports Represent India at PMWC 2025?
For Team Aryan x TMG, the script must differ. Organizers, publishers and the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports should collaborate on standardized “esports athlete” visa channels, complete with template forms, direct embassy liaisons and guaranteed fast-track processing. Without such measures, India’s PMWC representatives risk another déjà vu: a plane ticket in hand, but a visa stamp still pending at departure.
India’s esports ecosystem deserves global stages. Yet until visa processes adapt to its rise, our best players may remain grounded. Only by institutional recognition, proactive coordination and policy reform can Team Aryan x TMG truly carry India’s flag to Riyadh.
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