
Esports Nations Cup Inaugural Event Postponed to 2027
The Esports Foundation has officially announced the postponement of the highly anticipated, inaugural Esports Nations Cup. Originally slated to debut in November 2026 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the event has now been pushed back a full year to November 2027. This massive international tournament, which plans to host representatives from over 100 countries and territories, has paused its launch to ensure a stable environment for its players, partners, and fans.

FaZe Clan Complete Trifecta, Crowned Champions of the Rainbow Six Siege EWC 2026
The competitive Rainbow Six Siege world witnessed history at the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles in August 2026, as FaZe Clan captured the championship at the Esports World Cup (EWC) 2026. In a thrilling all-Brazilian Grand Final, the defending back-to-back Six Invitational champions defeated domestic rivals FURIA Esports 3–1.

Magnus Carlsen Wins Back-to-Back Esports World Cup Titles in Dominant Fashion
As if there was ever any doubt about it, Magnus Carlsen came into the Chess tournament at the Esports World Cup 2026 after nearly two months away from official competition and simply tore through the opposition. With back-to-back EWC titles under his belt, the Norwegian star continues to stack his claim as the greatest Chess player of all time.

Rainbow Six Siege Operation Split Fire Brings New Defender Noor to Counter Shield Meta
Rainbow Six Siege Year 11 Season 3: Operation Split Fire, is set to be one of the most game-changing updates in tactical shooter history. With the Test Server opening on August 17th and the full season launching on September 1st, Ubisoft is rolling out a massive update targeting key community feedback.
More news

Who's Winning Rainbow Six Siege EWC 2026: Playoffs Preview and Predictions
The Rainbow Six Siege competition at the Esports World Cup 2026 has reached its final stretch. With Phases 1 and 2 along with the Group Stages now complete, the top eight teams in the world are set to descend on the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles, battling for a share of the $2 million USD prize pool, valuable EWC Club points, and — most critically — a coveted spot at the Six Invitational 2027.

EWC Rainbow Six Siege 2026 – Ultimate Viewer’s Guide
Rainbow Six Siege returns to the Esports World Cup for the third straight year, with a stacked $2,000,000 USD tournament and qualification to the Six Invitational 2027 on the line. Following title runs by Team BDS and Team Secret in previous editions, 2026 continues the event’s legacy as one of Siege’s biggest international stages.

"Esport is not a phenomenon anymore. It's the entertainment of the new generation." - François-Xavier Deniele of Ubisoft
It's been 10 years since the launch of the professional scene of Rainbow Six: Siege and its esports scene continues to thrive. Despite the classic ups and downs, the FPS tac shooter remains one of the most popular esport titles to date, reaching a peak viewer count in 2024 at Six Invitational of over 520,000. Following the opening press conference at EWC 2026, Strafe managed to speak with François-Xavier Deniele, VP, Marketing & Esports at Rainbow Six. With a 17-year tenure at Ubisoft and counting, the François was happy to share insights on the 10 years of sustainability of Rainbow Six, how the team operates to draw in more new players and viewers, as well as giving a more general view on esports and esports events.

Dplus KIA to be Sold Amid Financial Turbulence
Dplus KIA have announced the organization is in the middle of a sale process as the club has "reached a point where it needs even greater capability and support to grow to the next level." Growing operational costs in esports and recent reports surfacing regarding unpaid wages at Dplus all seem to indicate that the move will be in the best interest of everyone involved, including players and fans of the organization.

GOALS Introduces Competitive Esports Circuit for 2026
A month after launch, GOALS is already unveiling a preliminary roadmap for their plans for a 2026 competitive circuit. For a game marketed around skill-focused gameplay, it comes as little surprise that they are already angling for the highest levels of play. With the goal of creating their own esports ecosystem, GOALS aims to ‘establish a sustainable and inclusive competitive scene for players at every level.’

Ubisoft Confirms Marketplace Will Not Return Anytime Soon
Ubisoft finally broke the silence on one of Rainbow Six Siege's most painful sagas. In a new post titled "Marketplace & Economy: A New Direction" the developer admitted what fans had feared for months: the player-driven Marketplace isn't coming back anytime soon

New Study Finds 400 Million Gen Z Consumers Regularly Engage With Esports
The numbers are in, and they're hard to argue with. A new whitepaper from ESL FACEIT Group (EFG), Hero Esports, and Niko Partners titled The Esports Generation: Who They Are & Why They Spend dropped today, and it paints a picture of an audience that is bigger, more engaged, and more commercially valuable than many brands still realize

G2 Esports and One Piece Collaborate to Create New Limited-Edition Drop
Esports giant G2 is making another move into the anime fashion space, this time partnering with one of the most beloved franchises in the world. In collaboration with One Piece, G2 has announced a new limited-edition streetwear drop available as of today (June 25).

GOALS Partners with PUMA for Exclusive In-Game Collectible Cosmetics
The new online football game currently gathering momentum — GOALS — has announced their latest endeavour: a team up with major sports brand: PUMA. The sports brand giant becomes the first to align themselves with GOALS for the release of an exclusive line of collectable cosmetics.

Brazilian Justice Condemns Steam, PlayStation, Xbox and Others to Pay USD 50 Million for Loot Boxes
The Federal District Court has condemned Steam, PlayStation, Xbox and other major gaming companies to pay R$ 298 million in collective moral damages related to loot boxes. The ruling also imposes new transparency and protection obligations for children and teenagers, including clear disclosure of probabilities and refunds for purchases made by minors.

Esports Foundation Bets $2M on Creators to Bring EWC and ENC to Every Corner of the World
The Esports Foundation just made a major move for content creators. On June 11, 2026, the organization behind the Esports World Cup and the Esports Nations Cup officially opened applications for its 2026 Creator Program, the largest co-streaming initiative esports has ever seen, and it is backing it up with a $2 million investment in creator rewards.

KSI Becomes First 'Original' in New Football Game 'GOALS'
‘GOALS’ is a new online football game title designed by its namesake studio based in Stockholm, Sweden. Framed as a free-to-play, competitive, online title, ‘GOALS’ seeks to enter the competitive sports-esport cross-section with the tagline as the “next evolution of football gaming experiences”.

G2 Esports Brings Fantasy Webcomic Red Aura to Global Audiences on WEBTOON
G2 Esports, one of the world's most recognisable names in competitive gaming, is stepping further into the world of original entertainment with the English-language global launch of its fantasy-action webcomic, Red Aura, on WEBTOON. The series goes live on Saturday, June 6, under the platform's prestigious WEBTOON Originals label.

BLAST R6 Regional Leagues Stage 1 2026: Everything You Need to Know
The R6 Esports 2026 season is in full swing following DarkZero's triumphant victory at BLAST R6 Salt Lake City, and now attention turns to Stage 1 of the Regional Leagues — the first major step on the road to the Esports World Cup in Paris. From schedules and formats to prize pools and EWC qualification spots, here is everything you need to know ahead of the competition.


