Olympic Council of Asia, Tencent Esports seal 10-year partnership
Tencent Esports and the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) have announced a decade-long strategic partnership aimed at shaping the future of esports across the continent.
Under the agreement, Tencent Esports becomes the Official Esports Technology Partner of the OCA. This development marked a shift from event-based cooperation to a broader framework focused on technology, standards, and ecosystem development.
According to the joint announcement, the partnership represents “a transition in their relationship from event-level support to a new stage of ‘system co-construction’ centered on technology, standards, and ecosystem development”. Both parties stated that the collaboration is designed to support the integration of esports and traditional sports while contributing to the long-term structure of Asian esports.
A partnership built through the Asian Games
The agreement builds on years of cooperation between Tencent Esports and the OCA, particularly through the Asian Games. Tencent Esports provided technical support when esports debuted as a demonstration sport at the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games. This was followed by an upgraded strategic partnership in 2022. This cooperation culminated in esports being included as an official medal event at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.
The long-term partnership was formalised with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) during the OCA Executive Board Meeting in Bahrain in October 2025. As part of the institutional framework supporting the agreement, Yati Zhang, Director of Tencent Esports, has been appointed as the OCA Esports Manager.
OCA: Responsibility and long-term structure
Dr. Husain Al-Musallam, Director General of the OCA, described the partnership as an evolution in how esports is governed and developed within Asia.
“Based on the pleasant cooperation and trust built over the past decade, we have witnessed Tencent Esports’ excellence in driving industry development,” he said. “This partnership is not just an upgrade in title, but a unification of responsibility. It signals that Asian esports has moved from an era of ‘participation’ to one of ‘system co-construction.’ We look forward to working with Tencent Esports to set a sustainable example for the healthy development of esports in Asia and globally.”
Technology and the Tencent Esports Competition System
On the technical front, Tencent Esports said it is expanding on systems deployed during the Hangzhou Asian Games with the launch of the Tencent Esports Competition System (ECS).
The company said the system will ensure competitions are conducted under standards that are “fair, stable, and efficient.” Alongside this, Tencent Esports said it plans to continue providing technical solutions and operational standards to support the digital transformation of major Asian tournaments, with a focus on improving credibility and operational efficiency.
Tri-pillar drive and the Asian path
Hou Miao, Vice President of Tencent Games and General Manager of Tencent Esports, outlined the broader vision underpinning the partnership through what he described as the “Tri-Pillar Drive” model.
“For esports to truly integrate into the global mainstream sports system, we must build a sustainable and replicable new order,” Hou said in the press release. “I believe the future of esports will be driven by a tripartite synergy: the Publisher Tech Ecosystem as the engine of innovation, continental and global sports organizations such as the OCA as the authoritative platform, and national and regional esports strategies as the fulcrum for implementation.”
He added that the next decade of cooperation is intended to put this framework into practice, beginning in Asia. “We look forward to working with all partners to pave a viable and robust ‘Asian Path’ for collaborative development, making it a recognised and integral part of the global sports mainstream,” Hou said.
Esports growth and betting momentum in Asia
The OCA and Tencent Esports partnership comes as esports continues to expand across Asia, not only in participation and viewership but also in commercial activity linked to sports betting. According to 2025 industry data, esports betting demand had surged globally, with Asia leading growth across key markets, including China, South Korea, Japan, the Philippines, and Vietnam. The report said that esports titles such as Dota 2, Counter-Strike 2, and mobile competitions drive both audience engagement and betting activity.
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