Tencent Esports announce 10-year deal with Olympic Council of Asia

calendar-icon

January 22, 2026

Image of Tencent Esports and Olympic Council of Asia logo projected onto a gold screen surrounded by a stadium. A small penguin stands in the centre of the image in between two esports stages
Image credit: Tencent Esports

Tencent Esports has announced a ten-year strategic partnership with the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA).

As a result of the deal, the esports branch of the tech conglomerate becomes the official esports technology partner of the OCA.

According to a release, the partnership aims to ‘propel the integration of esports and traditional sports’ within Asia. The deal was formalised during the OCA’s Executive Board Meeting in Bahrain in October 2025.

In addition to supporting the integration of esports into Asia’s traditional sporting landscape, the deal sees Yati Zhang, Director of Tencent Esports, appointed as OCA Esports Manager. In the role, Zhang will play a role in constructing a range of events taking place across the continent and the development of Asia’s esports ecosystem.

“This partnership is not just an upgrade in title, but a unification of responsibility,” said Dr. Husain Al-Musallam, Director General of the OCA.

“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.”

The OCA is no stranger to collaborating with Tencent Esports. In 2022, the two parties first joined forces to start promoting the development of esports in Asia. The partnership also saw both parties work together for the 19th Asian Games, which took place in Hangzhou after it was postponed to 2023 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

What Next For Tencent?

Over the past 12 months, Tencent has continued to invest heavily in esports across the world. In February 2025, it partnered with the Esports World Cup Foundation with the aim of expanding the Esports World Cup‘s reach in China.

July 2025 saw the company reveal the esports roadmap for VALORANT Mobile in China, providing players in the country with a platform to showcase their skills on the mobile version of the FPS title.

Jonno is a writer for Esports Insider and has been part of the team since 2019. Over the past ten years, he’s written for several outlets including Gfinity, GGRecon, and Radio Times. As an avid sim racer, he aims to provide insight on one of the fastest growing sectors in esports.

Read Full Bio

Jonno Nicholson
Read More

Latest

College Football Offseason Buzz: Tom Moore Returns to Iowa as Senior Consultant

This is college football. At some point, the games pause, but the news and drama never does. Here's an offseason tracker for buzz across the college football landscape, including coaching changes, injury news, personnel moves and more. Tom Moore Returns to Iowa at 87 as senior consultant The Iowa Hawkeyes  announced the hiring of former

Football Is Life: ‘Ted Lasso’ Star Cristo Fernandez Lands Deal With USL Club

Forward Cristo Fernandez, the actor who portrayed Dani Rojas on the Apple TV series "Ted Lasso" has signed with El Paso Locomotive FC of the USL Championship to play soccer professionally. Terms of the deal announced Tuesday, which still must be approved by the second-tier league and soccer federation, were not disclosed. Fernandez earned the

The quiet grit of Cowboys legend Craig Morton

The Dallas Cowboys family and the football world lost a true pioneer this past Sunday with the passing of Craig Morton. As one of the original cornerstones of the franchise, Morton helped transform the Cowboys from a young expansion team into a perennial powerhouse. He carried himself with a quiet dignity and a toughness that

College Football’s No. 10 TE Recruit Set to Visit Three Elite Programs

One of the top-flight prospects coming out of the state of Ohio and among the best targets in the 2027 college football recruiting class is poised to take some consequential visits to national programs in the weeks to come, but the Buckeyes notably aren’t among them. Four-star Columbus (Ohio) Francis DeSales national No. 10 ranked

Newsletter

Don't miss

College Football Offseason Buzz: Tom Moore Returns to Iowa as Senior Consultant

This is college football. At some point, the games pause, but the news and drama never does. Here's an offseason tracker for buzz across the college football landscape, including coaching changes, injury news, personnel moves and more. Tom Moore Returns to Iowa at 87 as senior consultant The Iowa Hawkeyes  announced the hiring of former

Football Is Life: ‘Ted Lasso’ Star Cristo Fernandez Lands Deal With USL Club

Forward Cristo Fernandez, the actor who portrayed Dani Rojas on the Apple TV series "Ted Lasso" has signed with El Paso Locomotive FC of the USL Championship to play soccer professionally. Terms of the deal announced Tuesday, which still must be approved by the second-tier league and soccer federation, were not disclosed. Fernandez earned the

The quiet grit of Cowboys legend Craig Morton

The Dallas Cowboys family and the football world lost a true pioneer this past Sunday with the passing of Craig Morton. As one of the original cornerstones of the franchise, Morton helped transform the Cowboys from a young expansion team into a perennial powerhouse. He carried himself with a quiet dignity and a toughness that

College Football’s No. 10 TE Recruit Set to Visit Three Elite Programs

One of the top-flight prospects coming out of the state of Ohio and among the best targets in the 2027 college football recruiting class is poised to take some consequential visits to national programs in the weeks to come, but the Buckeyes notably aren’t among them. Four-star Columbus (Ohio) Francis DeSales national No. 10 ranked

Playson builds on strong growth in Switzerland with StarVegas partnership

Playson, the accomplished digital entertainment supplier, has further solidified its footprint in the regulated Swiss market by entering a strategic partnership with StarVegas, one of the country’s first licensed online casino operators. StarVegas is a leading Swiss online casino brand operated by Casino Interlaken, one of the country’s most established land-based casino groups. It is

WD sees sustainability as key business driver in an ‘AI economy’

Hard drive company WD promoted long-term operations and sustainability executive Jackie Jung to become its first chief sustainability officer in February, as it steps up sales to companies building AI data centers. Her vision: Turn sustainability into a “brand” for WD, a strategy that reduces risk for the $6 billion company (formerly known as Western

5 Business Ideas Worth Starting in 2026

If there is one thing Nigerians understand well, it is how to spot opportunity inside hardship. In 2026, that mindset will matter more than ever. The economy is tough, competition is rising, and many people are looking for smarter ways to earn, build, and survive. But even in a difficult environment, some businesses still stand

Getting a business loan now comes with a frequent flyer upside

Australian fintech Prospa has partnered with Qantas Business Rewards, letting eligible SMEs earn up to 500,000 points per loan. What’s happening: Australian fintech lender Prospa has partnered with Qantas Business Rewards to allow eligible small and medium business owners to earn up to 500,000 Qantas Points per loan when taking out a Prospa Small Business