The Korea e-Sports Association (KeSPA) announced on the 21st that it will be rolling out its school esports initiative for 2026. The programme aims to reach middle and high school students nationwide across three distinct pillars: the 'National Middle & High School Championship', the 'Club Instructor Support Project', and the 'Visiting School Esports Tournament'. It is the latter that will be the first to kick things off.

The 'Visiting School Esports Tournament' is designed for schools currently lacking the infrastructure to host their own events. KeSPA will be deploying professional staff and equipment to bridge the gap. Through a bespoke curriculum, students get hands-on experience in tournament planning and operations, effectively getting a taste of various industry roles—from players and coaches to casters and broadcast production crews.

The programme will run in two phases throughout the year. Applications for the first half are open until May 15, with activities scheduled between May 11 and July 24. For those eyeing the second half, recruitment runs from July 10 to August 14, followed by the programme period from August 31 to November 20. The selected titles are League of Legends, Valorant, and Brawl Stars. You can find the full application details via the official school esports website.

The 'National Middle & High School Championship' will follow two formats. The 'Open Circuit' is a grassroots effort, allowing any interested student to participate and earn Youth Points required for the national finals. For those with a more professional trajectory, the 'School League' will operate as a seasonal league during the semester, with participating teams earning direct seeds into the national finals.

In addition, there are independent Youth Point tournaments. Existing events run by local governments or youth organisations can be vetted and certified, allowing winners to bag those all-important Youth Points. The top teams from the Open Circuit and Youth Point events, alongside the School League participants, will face off in the national finals this November and the grand finals in December. The titles featured are League of Legends, Valorant, and PUBG.

Furthermore, KeSPA is pushing forward with its Club Instructor Support Project. They will be dispatching professionals to schools to provide tailored coaching for esports clubs, offering everything from general guidance to specialized training. The goal is simple: to help students develop healthy habits and the right values through their gaming passion. KeSPA hopes these three initiatives will provide a solid foundation for budding amateur talent and foster a more vibrant, healthy school club culture.