The national finals of the 18th Presidential Cup Amateur e-Sports Tournament, organized by the Korea e-Sports Association, will be held at the Gyeongju Indoor Gymnasium in Gyeongsangbuk-do on the 15th and 16th to determine the top-performing region in the country.

The Korea e-Sports Association (KeSPA) officially announced on Wednesday the 12nd that the national finals of the 18th Presidential Cup Amateur e-Sports Tournament (Presidential Cup KeG) will take place over two days, Saturday the 15th and Sunday the 16th, at the Gyeongju Indoor Gymnasium in Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do.

The Presidential Cup KeG was established to balance e-sports infrastructure across regions and expand the amateur ecosystem. Originally launched as the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Cup, it is the only government-led national amateur tournament to have maintained its legacy for 20 years. This year's event is hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and co-organized by the Association, Gyeongsangbuk-do, Gyeongju City, and the Gyeongju Cultural Foundation. Sponsors include SK Telecom, Sidiz, Modda, the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee, the Korea Sports Promotion Foundation, and the Korea Creative Content Agency, with major game companies such as Nimble Neuron, Supercell, Nexon Korea, Riot Games, and Sega participating as title sponsors.

A total of 1328 amateur gamers competed in regional qualifiers held across 16 regions from Friday, July 17, to Sunday, August 2. Through these qualifiers, each local government finalized its regional representative rosters, consisting of one team for Eternal Return (3 to 4 players), one team for Brawl Stars (3 players), two players for FC Online, and one team for League of Legends (5 players).

The early tournament rounds for each title begin at 10:00 AM on Saturday the 15th, the first day of the national finals. Eternal Return will hold its Round of 16; Brawl Stars and League of Legends will run from the Round of 16 to the quarterfinals; FC Online will cover the Round of 32 to the Round of 16; and Puyo Puyo eSports will conduct matches from the quarterfinals through the fourth round of the losers' bracket. On Sunday the 16th at 10:00 AM, the schedule continues with the FC Online quarterfinals through the finals, the Brawl Stars and League of Legends semifinals through the finals, and the highly anticipated finals for Eternal Return and Puyo Puyo eSports.

The local government that wins the overall championship will be awarded the prestigious Presidential Award and a trophy, while the top-placing region for each official title will receive the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Award. The total prize pool for the titles is set at ₩8 million for Eternal Return, ₩8 million for Brawl Stars, ₩5 million for FC Online, ₩5 million for League of Legends, and ₩2 million for Puyo Puyo eSports. Additionally, the top two finishers in the FC Online national finals will receive a seed for the FC Online Futures League (FFL) main tournament quarterfinals.

Key matches of the tournament will be broadcast live via the Association's official Naver Chzzk, SOOP, and YouTube channels. The main commentary team for League of Legends features caster Oh Sung-kyun and commentator Kuro (Lee Seo-haeng). For FC Online, casters Hong Seok-hyun and Lee Jong-woo will pair with commentator Bang-bae-woo (Bang Sang-hyun). Eternal Return will be covered by caster Chun Sia and commentators Hwang-blin and Ibis, while Brawl Stars will feature caster Kim Su-bin and commentator Shiro (Park Je-hyun), and Puyo Puyo eSports will be presented by caster Oh Sung-kyun and commentator Bang Jae-hyuk. Matches not broadcast on these channels can be viewed on the official channels of each game or through individual influencer channels.

The 18th Presidential Cup KeG finals are open to the public free of charge, with no advance reservation required. To improve accessibility for visitors, the organizers plan to operate shuttle buses between Gyeongju Station, the Gyeongju Bus Terminal, and the Gyeongju Indoor Gymnasium during the event. Detailed information can be found on the official website of the Presidential Cup KeG and the Association's social media channels.

Meanwhile, various side events will be held near the venue, including the 2026 Gyeongju Waterful Festival hosted by Gyeongju City and an e-sports experience zone. The festival is scheduled to run from Saturday the 15th through Sunday the 23rd, coinciding with the 2026 National Disabled e-Sports Tournament, further heightening the festive atmosphere.