eSports
FIFA launches new commercial partnership structure including dedicated programs for women’s football and esports

For the first time since 2013, FIFA is introducing a new commercial partnership structure that will provide companies around the world with more tailored opportunities to partner with the sport of football, leverage the FIFA brand and support its competitions.
Three distinct partnership verticals are being launched this week with a range of packages available across Women’s football, Men’s Football and esports/gaming.
Kay Madati, FIFA’s Chief Commercial Officer, said: “As we continually work to make football truly global, accessible and inclusive, we recognised the need for a nimble and customisable commercial structure that enables brands big and small, global and local, to connect with all aspects of the beautiful game. The new model will allow our partners to create more tailored programming and marketing activations that align directly with their strategic business goals, and connect them to the world’s most passionate fans, in the world’s most engaging sport.”
First dedicated commercial program for Women’s football launched to accelerate growth and equality of the women’s game Building on FIFA’s Women’s Football strategy unveiled in 2018, the launch of a dedicated women’s football commercial vertical marks another step in FIFA’s commitment to make football more equitable and accessible for women and girls. Partners in this new vertical will be able to directly impact and support the growth and development of the women’s game. Sarai Bareman, FIFA’s Chief Women’s Football Officer commented, “This marks a groundbreaking moment to maximize the growth of the women’s game and its marketing appeal, as we create equal commercial models across Women’s and Men’s Football for the first time. We’re excited about the opportunities for brands who want to support women’s sport, help accelerate women’s equality, and wish to align themselves with the unparalleled momentum around women’s football.’’
An exciting new era in football gaming and esports with FIFAe Vertical As FIFA continues to broaden its esports and gaming footprint, a dedicated partnerships structure will provide exciting opportunities to participate in the fastest growing media vertical on the planet. FIFAe – the recently launched umbrella brand for all of FIFA’s future esports and gaming initiatives – grants access to the interactive and immersive entertainment world of new generations, cultures, tournaments, and merchandising licensing opportunities.
FIFA’s New Commercial Structure At-A-Glance A flexible partnership model will exist across the new distinct verticals for Women’s Football, Men’s Football, and esports/gaming.
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World Cup Partners/Women’s Football Partners/FIFAe Partners will receive extensive global commercial rights across all national team tournaments within their respective vertical, or a premium position across all esports competitions for the FIFAe vertical
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Sponsors will receive global activation rights surrounding the FIFA Women’s World Cup, the FIFA World Cup and/or across all FIFAe competitions
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Tournament Supporters will be able to select territorial activation rights for either the FIFA Women’s World Cup, the FIFA World Cup or the FIFAe competitions. A more flexible Tournament Supporters program is now available for women’s and men’s development tournaments such as the FIFA U-20 and U-17 World Cups
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FIFA Partners continue to hold the highest level of association with global partner status and category exclusivity across their respective FIFA properties and competitions
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FIFA’s new commercial approach will enable brands to benefit from new opportunities to associate with FIFA’s brand to build and accelerate new business opportunities as well as create community and purpose-driven programs.
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eSports
PandaScore and Playbook Engineering join forces

Pioneering esports odds, data and betting products provider now available to operators powered by leading platform supplier with the integration facilitated by Sporting Solutions
PandaScore, the award-winning provider of esports odds, data and betting products, has integrated its suite of solutions with Playbook Engineering, the global sportsbook platform provider.
The partnership has been facilitated by Sporting Solutions, which has strategic partnerships with both PandaScore and Playbook Engineering.
Playbook Engineering has established itself as a leading sportsbook platform provider, supporting brands such as Star Sports, AK Bets, Priced Up, Bet Wright, Gentleman Jim, and Dragon Bet.
Following the integration, online sportsbooks powered by Playbook Engineering can access PandaScore’s Odds feed allowing them to offer comprehensive and competitive esports odds for some of the most popular disciplines.
The scope of markets and the value of odds are unrivalled with PandaScore using sophisticated models backed by a team of experienced traders including specialist traders for disciplines like CS2, Dota 2 and LoL.
A growing number of platform providers and operators are making a move into the lucrative esports betting space, with PandaScore recently surpassing €1bn of bets through its platform off the back of a sharp rise in demand among players and operators.
Joseph Noone, Senior Sales Manager at PandaScore, said: “Playbook Engineering powers some renowned sportsbooks as well as up and coming brands that are really making an impact.
“It’s great that these sportsbooks can access our esports odds, data and betting products, allowing them to engage new and existing player cohorts with a compelling esports offering that stands out when it comes to the range and value of odds.
“The integration wouldn’t have been possible without our shared partner Sporting Solutions, and stands as an example of what can be achieved when providers work together.”
Luke Cousins, Commercial Director at Playbook Engineering, added: “Sportsbook operators simply can’t ignore the demand for esports betting and in PandaScore, we have a premium odds, data and betting product provider that lives and breathes esports.
“This partnership, done through our mutual friends, Sporting Solutions, further positions Playbook Engineering as a tier-one platform provider to some of the most exciting sportsbook brands around the world. This makes it a win for us, our partners and their players.”
The post PandaScore and Playbook Engineering join forces appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
eSports
Four Countries Shortlisted to Host GOTF 2027

Phygital International (PI), the exclusive rights holders and custodians of The Games of the Future (GOTF), announced that Brazil, Serbia, South Africa, and Uzbekistan are the shortlisted applicants to host GOTF 2027. The Games of the Future is the world’s leading phygital sports tournament, bringing together sports and esports athletes from around the world.
With the UAE set to host GOTF 2025 and Kazakhstan in 2026, the competition for the 2027 edition has drawn significant interest from nations eager to position themselves as leaders in the world of phygital sports.
Nis Hatt, CEO of Phygital International, said: “We received bids from right around the world which highlights the growing awareness and passion for phygital sports globally. We would like to thank all the nations who bid to host The Games of the Future 2027 and are pleased to announce that Brazil, Serbia, South Africa, and Uzbekistan have been selected as the nations shortlisted as potential hosts.”
Following further evaluations and detailed assessments of each finalist’s proposal, the final decision on the host country for GOTF 2027 will be announced in the summer of 2025.
The post Four Countries Shortlisted to Host GOTF 2027 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Asia
Valorant Added to Hero Esports Asian Champions League

The HERO ESPORTS Asian Champions League (ACL), Asia’s premier multi-title esports tournament hosted by Hero Esports, has officially announced the addition of VALORANT to its inaugural lineup.
Previously, ACL unveiled six game titles: Dota 2, Counter-Strike 2 (CS2), Honor of Kings, Teamfight Tactics, Delta Force, and Crossfire. With VALORANT joining the roster, the total number of games now stands at seven, with more titles expected to be announced soon.
Through continued collaboration with the Esports World Cup, ACL has revealed that the champions of the ACL CS2 and Honor of Kings Tournaments will secure direct entry to the Esports World Cup. Further collaborations on the remaining titles of the ACL are anticipated.
The ACL VALORANT Tournament will be the only international-level VALORANT tournament held in China during the first half of 2025, attracting top teams from overseas. The Final of the event will take place offline in Shanghai. The event will use world-class production and cutting-edge live broadcasting technology to enhance audience experience.
The ACL is set to take place in the first half of 2025, with the Finals of the ACL CS2 Tournament and Honor of Kings Tournament scheduled for May. The ACL will have a total prize pool of $2 million.
Jonny Wang, CEO of the Asian Champions League, said: “We are excited to announce the addition of VALORANT to the ACL. Our ambition is to make ACL into a truly comprehensive tournament, providing a larger stage for players and teams across various competitions while delivering more exciting content for our audience.”
Danny Tang, Co-Founder and CEO of Hero Esports, said: “We are pleased by the progress of the ACL and its ability to attract top teams and titles to compete across Asia. We look forward to the continued collaboration between Hero Esports, ACL and the Esports World Cup Foundation, which is testament to our shared ambition to shape and empower esports globally.”
The post Valorant Added to Hero Esports Asian Champions League appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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