National qualifiers will lead to an April 2027 final featuring EA SPORTS FC 27, Rocket League and Minecraft, alongside an education summit for teachers
UK schools are being invited to register for EGAMES DUBAI27, a global esports competition offering students the chance to represent their schools and countries at live finals in Dubai.
Co-created by Varkey Group and the British Esports Federation, the competition is open to state-funded, government-run and independent schools. Organizers describe it as the first global esports competition open to every type of school.
The British Esports Federation will run a national tournament, with the highest-ranking teams qualifying for the April 2027 finals at the GEMS School of Research & Innovation in Dubai.
The UK is among 13 countries whose national esports federations have committed to supporting the competition.
Three games and an international stage
The inaugural finals will feature EA SPORTS FC 27, Rocket League and a Minecraft build tournament. EGAMES DUBAI27 is open to young people studying during the 2026/27 academic year.
Teams will compete for the title of EGAMES World Champion, with medals and other prizes including scholarships, experiences at the Esports Nations Cup and hardware for school facilities.
GEMS Education has joined as an education partner and will host the finals at its School of Research & Innovation. Other education and technology organizations are being invited to support the initiative.
Sunny Varkey, Chairman and Founder of Varkey Group and GEMS Education, said: “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.”
Connecting competition with digital skills
The organizers intend the competition to develop teamwork, communication, resilience and digital skills, while introducing students to opportunities in esports, technology and creative industries.
International participation will also give students opportunities to connect with peers from other countries. The initiative includes a focus on helping parents and teachers understand how esports can support learning.
Alongside the finals, organizers plan to host an education summit covering esports education, digital skills, AI, safeguarding, coaching and future skills. Further details of a wider EGAMES education program will be announced separately.
Chester King, British Esports President and GEMS Esports Ambassador, said: “Since 2016, the British Esports Federation has always focused on esports education and schools competition.”
He added: “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.”
National federations join the global competition
Alongside the British Esports Federation, participating federations represent Argentina, Brazil, the United Arab Emirates, Ghana, Nigeria, Ireland, Jordan, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Türkiye and Zimbabwe.
Further federations are expected to join as the competition develops. Schools, national federations and prospective education partners can find registration and participation information through the EGAMES website.
Varkey said: “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.”
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