Nongshim RedForce lead BMIC 2026 after day one in Mumbai with 72 points; Korean teams dominate

The Battlegrounds Mobile India International Cup (BMIC) 2026, an international esports tournament, began in Mumbai. It is being held at the Dome, SVP Indoor Stadium (NSCI). The first day offered a mix of entertainment and closely fought matches.

At the opening ceremony, the world-renowned music producer Alan Walker gave a live performance and won over the audience. He put on a special show for BGMI fans. His anthem "Hero", which became popular through the 2024 "Be A Hero" campaign, had connected him with millions of BGMI players, and fans now got to experience the song live. Yoo Dongwan, Consul General of the Republic of Korea in Mumbai, was also present.

Ashish Shelar, president of Esports Games Federation (ESGF) India, drew attention in his keynote address to the growing importance of the esports sector in India. He said esports is not just gaming but an important sector that is giving young people skills, discipline and new career opportunities. He noted that it is a positive development that esports is gaining recognition in India's sports and entertainment sectors. He also said international tournaments such as BMIC give Indian players a chance to prove their ability on the global stage.

On the field, Korean teams showed their dominance on the first day. Nongshim RedForce, the winner of Korea Esports League 2026, finished first in the standings with 72 points. Dplus KIA took second place with 71 points, just one point behind. Dplus KIA won both Winner Winner Chicken Dinners (WWCD) of the day. Defending champions Kiwoom DRX took third place with 56 points.

Indian teams also performed well. Outrage Esports won one Chicken Dinner and took fourth place with 47 points, making them the best-placed Indian team after the first day. K9 Esports won one match. Blitz Epigrotive Gaming are in sixth place and iQOO 8Bit in ninth. iQOO SouL, the winner of BMSD 2026, are in 13th place.

Each team played six matches on the first day. The remaining matches will be played on October 31 and November 1, with six matches on each of those days. The tournament will be streamed live on the YouTube channel of KRAFTON India Esports.