This partnership aims to grow mind sports in the Philippines, with joint events to be undertaken by both parties.
Last March 30, the Philippine Olympic Committee and Asian Mind Sports Association officially entered into a strategic partnership, which signals a major push to grow mind sports across the Philippines.
The “long-term partnership” aims to advance standardized competition systems, governance frameworks, and digital ecosystems, while further promoting the development and participation of mind sports in the country.
“Through the partnership, both organizations will work together to elevate competition standards, unify rules and formats, and connect online and offline tournaments into a more cohesive national system,” noted the POC in its statement.
Furthermore, “a strong focus will also be placed on building a digital ecosystem-featuring player rankings, participation tracking, and fan engagement tools-to support the next generation of Filipino mind sports athletes.”
The cooperation will also further integrate online and offline competition platforms, on top of exploring other data-driven capabilities, as per AMSA.
The agreement is also seen as the “laying of groundwork” for a more structured and globally aligned development of mind sports in the country, especially as the POC continues to expand opportunities beyond traditional physical sports.
Covered in this agreement are a wide spectrum of disciplines, including chess, go, xiangqi, bridge, speed cubing, and poker (in accordance with local regulations), which reflects the growing diversity and popularity of mind sports in the Philippines.
Both parties will also undertake capacity-building initiatives and nationwide awareness programs to strengthen institutional capabilities and expand participation in mind sports across the Philippines.
The POC also revealed that a series of jointly organized mind sports events with AMSA will be announced in the near future, marking the first wave of competitions under this new partnership.
“These events are expected to provide Filipino players with greater access to international-standard platforms and increased visibility within the regional mind sports community,” noted the committee.
Alongside competitions, the partnership will introduce training pathways, institutional support, and public engagement initiatives aimed at building a stronger and more inclusive mind sports culture nationwide.
With this move, Philippine Olympic Committee said that it is able to reinforce its commitment to innovation in sport and to creating new avenues for Filipino talent to thrive-both on the field and in the mind.
As for AMSA, it is part of its ongoing commitment to fostering structured, internationally aligned development of mind sports and to strengthening partnerships with National Olympic Committees and governing bodies across Asia.
