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Champions of Inaugural Global Esports Games Prove that Esports is Truly a Global Movement

Published

5 years ago

December 21, 2021

Niji Narayan

Reading Time: 2 minutes

After two days of intense competition, the first-ever champions of the inaugural Global Esports Games have emerged.

And staying true to the Global Esports Federation and GEG’s vision of connecting the world through the power of esports, the diversity of the winners — nine member nations walked away with the 12 medals on offer — have made the inaugural Games a truly global celebration of a #worldconnected.

Without further ado, here are the Singapore 2021 Global Esports Games champions.

eFootball 2022

Brazil, widely regarded as the best footballing nation, can now lay claim to also being the best in the virtual version of the Beautiful Game.

And it couldn’t have been scripted any better, with the inaugural eFootball 2022 gold a fight between Brazil and South American rivals Argentina. Imagine Neymar vs Messi, virtual style.

And when the dust settled, it was Brazil’s João Vitor “CSC_jvictor” Lopes who beat Argentina’s Iván Pablo “MelianTheKing” Melian.

Lopes showcased superior gameplay and was calm and patient when making split-second strategic decisions as the 17-year-old eFootball prodigy earned the gold with a 2-0 win.

Despite the traditional Brazil-Argentina rivalry, both Lopes and Melian shared a heartfelt hug, congratulating each other sincerely after the match.

Iran’s Morteza “esultimates” Mohammadi also scored a resounding 2-0 victory against Singapore’s Dennis “DENNISZZ0910” Zhao to take home a bronze medal.

Women’s DOTA 2

Shining a beacon for women esports, the first-ever major international Women’s DOTA 2 final was an electrifying display of skill and teamwork.

Despite losing the first round to Team Great Britain, Team Singapore showed determination and grit to make an astounding comeback to first tie the game 1-1 before winning an 80-minute decider to clinch the gold. Team Mongolia won the bronze medal.

Street Fighter V: Champion Edition

In the world of Street Fighter V, Chinese Taipei’s Yu-Lin “GamerBee” Hsiang is widely recognised as one of the world’s top gamers. But for all his talent, a major win on the world stage has proved elusive — until the GEG.

Up against the Dominican Republic’s Saul “MenaRD” Mena, Hsiang prevailed to become the GEG’s first Street Fighter V: Champion Edition gold medallist.

“I feel extremely happy because it’s been a long time since I’ve participated in an offline tournament. Facing the best players in the world and emerging the champion means a lot to me. I want to thank all my friends and my country for their support. Without them, I couldn’t win,” Hsiang said.

Hsiang picked Luke against his opponent’s Balrog, who posed a real threat to the veteran throughout the entire match. Despite losing the first game, Hsiang made a comeback and proceeded to win three consecutive games to secure his win.

Mena received the silver medal and Pakistan’s Ahmed “Amu_PS4” Shahid clinched the bronze.

DOTA 2 Open

Team Brazil ended the competition with a convincing 2-0 win against Team Singapore, and in doing so, made history as the first GEG DOTA 2 Open gold medallists.

“Everyone is super happy (about the win). This is our first time coming so far to this part of the world. There are some players who have never experienced an international LAN so this is something new for them,” Team Captain Matheus “KJ” Santos said.

Santos and some of his Brazil teammates have had the experience of playing at the highest level of DOTA 2, having featured at The International in October. And they showed their experience and quality throughout the tournament.

eSports

Esports Foundation names Faker Game Ambassador for EWC and ENC through 2028

Published

10 hours ago

July 15, 2026

Wladimir P.

esports-foundation-names-faker-game-ambassador-for-ewc-and-enc-through-2028

Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok joins Cristiano Ronaldo and Magnus Carlsen in the Esports Foundation’s Ambassador Program.

The Esports Foundation (EF) has appointed Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok as a Game Ambassador for the Esports World Cup (EWC) and Esports Nations Cup (ENC) through 2028, the organization said on July 15, 2026 in a statement issued from Riyadh and Paris.

EF said Faker joins Cristiano Ronaldo, listed as the Foundation’s Global Ambassador, and Magnus Carlsen as part of the Esports Foundation Ambassador Program. The Foundation said Faker will represent “the perspective of esports players” across its international events, athlete initiatives, media engagements and leadership forums.

“You can’t talk about esports without mentioning Faker. He is the defining athlete of competitive gaming: a champion whose excellence, discipline and longevity have inspired an entire generation,” said Ralf Reichert, Chief Executive Officer of the Esports Foundation. “As our Game Ambassador, Faker represents something fundamental to the Ambassador Program: esports creates its own global sporting icons. Across EWC, ENC and NGSC, he will help ensure that the players who built this sport have a voice in shaping where it goes next.”

Faker said: “Competition has shaped my life, and I am proud to join the Esports Foundation as Game Ambassador. I want to continue competing for the biggest titles with T1 while representing the players and fans who have helped esports grow worldwide. Through the Esports World Cup, Esports Nations Cup and the Foundation’s wider platforms, I hope to inspire the next generation to pursue excellence, remain resilient and believe in how far competitive gaming can take them. There is still much more to achieve.”

EF highlighted Faker’s competitive record, describing him as a six-time League of Legends World Champion, EWC 2024 winner, two-time MSI champion and ten-time domestic champion with T1. The Foundation also said Faker became the first esports athlete to receive the Blue Dragon Medal in 2026, describing it as the Republic of Korea’s highest sporting honor awarded by President Lee Jae-myung.

The post Esports Foundation names Faker Game Ambassador for EWC and ENC through 2028 appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Brand Partnerships

Midnite signs as Middlesbrough FC principal partner for 2026/27 season

Published

17 hours ago

July 15, 2026

Wladimir P.

midnite-signs-as-middlesbrough-fc-principal-partner-for-2026/27-season

Midnite has agreed a partnership with Middlesbrough FC that will see the UK bookmaker become the club’s principal partner and front-of-shirt sponsor for the 2026/27 campaign, which Middlesbrough describes as its landmark 150th season.

The companies announced the deal alongside a fan activation at Riverside Stadium on Thursday, July 9, branded “This Season’s On Us”. The initiative offered supporters prizes including 2026/27 season tickets, 2026/27 shirts, match tickets, or a £25 club shop voucher, with fans required to answer Middlesbrough trivia and complete a football challenge.

Middlesbrough former players Craig Hignett and David Wheater attended the event, and, according to the company, took bonus attempts on behalf of participants who missed out.

Andrew Mook, Midnite’s Head of Brand Marketing, said:

“Middlesbrough have a storied history and we’re delighted to announce this partnership during such a monumental year with the club celebrating their 150th anniversary.

“It was great to see so many Middlesbrough fans at the “This Season’s On Us” activation, we hope they enjoyed taking part and meeting club legends, with David Wheater hitting top bins on several occasions and allowing fans to win big with season tickets.

“We can’t wait to get to Riverside Stadium in August to kick-off a new season and we’re excited to say that we have plenty of new and captivating campaigns planned.”

Lee Fryett, Middlesbrough FC Chief Commercial Officer, added:

“We’re delighted to welcome Midnite as our new Principal Partner.

“We’re looking forward to working closely with Midnite to develop engaging campaigns, content and unique experiences that bring our fans even closer to the club.

“We’re confident this partnership will provide real value for our supporters while supporting our ambitions both on and off the pitch.”

The post Midnite signs as Middlesbrough FC principal partner for 2026/27 season appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

AGCO

ThrillTech secures AGCO supplier licence for Ontario launch

Published

17 hours ago

July 15, 2026

Wladimir P.

thrilltech-secures-agco-supplier-licence-for-ontario-launch

ThrillTech has been awarded a Gaming-Related Supplier licence by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), clearing the company to launch in Ontario’s regulated market.

The licence allows ThrillTech to deploy its opt-in side bet jackpots technology with regulated online casino, sports betting and lottery operators across the province.

Benjamin Bradtke, Co-Founder of ThrillTech, said: “Securing our AGCO licence is a major step in our mission to transform how jackpots are delivered at scale across regulated markets. This latest certification is testament to our robust technology and trusted compliance frameworks, allowing us to continue our global growth trajectory. We are thrilled to bring our proven, compliant jackpot technology to Ontario, empowering locally licensed operators to uplift revenue without cannibalising existing spend.”

The company said its “ThrillPots” mechanics sit as an independent, player-funded side bet and do not alter the underlying game’s return-to-player mathematics.

ThrillTech said the Ontario approval enables its existing multinational partners that also operate in the province to launch its side bet jackpots locally, while it also holds talks with potential new operator partners. The company lists its regulated footprint as including the United Kingdom, Sweden, the Netherlands, Romania, Malta, Gibraltar, Brazil and Peru.

The post ThrillTech secures AGCO supplier licence for Ontario launch appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.