CFAs: Young Trilateral Leaders Network eSports Competition (South Korea)

This program seeks to foster cross-border collaboration among youth aged 20-39 from the United States, Republic of Korea (ROK), and Japan, building on outcomes from recent trilateral summits. Through a combination of virtual and in-person activities, participants will develop key skills such as cross-cultural communication, teamwork, and digital literacy.

The program will culminate in an esports competition in the ROK in 2025, with high-performing teams traveling for the final event. In addition to competition, participants will receive training in areas like conflict resolution and leveraging esports for positive social impact.

Successful applicants will design a comprehensive plan for recruitment, virtual engagements, and final competition logistics. Proposals should also include a strong monitoring and evaluation component to track the program’s impact on trilateral cooperation.

Funding Information

• Total available funding: $100,000
• Length of performance period: 12 months

Ineligible Activities

• The following types of programs are not eligible for funding:
  • Programs relating to partisan political activity;
  • Programs that involve travel to the United States, Japan or third countries
  • Charitable or development activities;
  • Construction programs;
  • Programs that support specific religious activities;
  • Fundraising campaigns;
  • Lobbying for specific legislation or programs;

Target Audience

• Target Audience: Korean and Japanese college students and young professionals aged 20- 39 from diverse backgrounds who work in gaming, esports, emerging technologies, successful eSports players, or those who have a demonstrated interest in the gaming sector, speak fluent English, and are interested in trilateral collaboration. Participants must be comfortable appearing in Embassy and YTL social media and other digital products about the competition. The total number of participants should be adjusted based on the available budget.

Eligibility Criteria

• The following organizations are eligible to apply: U.S., ROK, and Japanese organizations.
  • Not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks and civil society/nongovernmental organizations
  • Public and private educational institutions
  • Public International Organizations (PIOs) and (Non-U.S.) Governmental institutions.

For more information, visit U.S. Embassy in the Republic of Korea.