Guangdong's inaugural 'Esports Super League' kicks off in Shenzhen

The Bao’an Station of the Bay Area Division for the 2026 Guangdong Provincial First Esports Super League (GDES) area showdowns kicked off at the "Eye of the GBA" in Shenzhenon Aug. 8. Serving as the opening match of the areashowdowns, the Bao’an event marks a new phase in the inaugural GDES season.

The league centers on the theme “Film connects the globe, digital creates the future.” It features three main tracks: Lifestyle imaging, digital art, and AI creation, with a total prize pool of 428,000 yuan (US$59,610). The submission deadline is 23:59 on Sept. 5. The synergy between the esports tournament and the creative imaging contest highlights the organizing principle of “putting the public in the spotlight and giving grassroots talent a stage.”

Following the Bao’an Station, the area showdowns will move to the Western Guangdong, Teochew (Chaoshan), Hakka, and Cantonese (Guangfu) home venues on Aug. 15, 22, 29 and Sept. 5, respectively. The annual Grand Finals will be held at the Nanshan Cultural and Sports Center in Shenzhen from Sept. 11 to 13.

Photos by Liu Xudong