eSports
Team Vitality and Lille Olympique Sporting Club Renew Their Partnership
Leading global esports organisation Team Vitality and Ligue 1 club Lille Olympique Sporting Club (LOSC), the 2021 French football champion and founding club of the eLigue 1 Uber Eats, announced the renewal of their partnership for the 2024 season. This renewed partnership solidifies the club’s commitment to excellence in competition and has brought together a formidable duo that will perform on the French EA SPORTS FC 24 scene. The two French clubs have joined forces for a second consecutive year to compete in French EA SPORTS FC esports.
Team Vitality and LOSC eSports introduced Ilian Bouchi as its newest recruit to the EA SPORTS FC 24 team. Coming from the north of France, Ilian is a die-hard football fan who discovered his talent for FIFA games with his family as a child, before being scouted for his potential soon after his first competitions.
Known for his exceptional mechanics, Ilian quickly ranked amongst the top players in Europe. He will focus his talents on achieving the clubs’ goals of dominating the eLigue 1 Uber Eats and taking the scene by storm. His arrival reflects the commitment of Team Vitality and LOSC eSports commitment to recruiting top young talent and remaining at the forefront of competition.
Ilian Bouchi said: “I am honoured to join a team as prestigious as Team Vitality and LOSC eSports. It’s a privilege to play alongside Rocky, having followed his career when I was younger and seen them evolve as a player. As a LOSC supporter myself, I’m really looking forward to representing the club for this upcoming season. I will do my best to take the team as far as possible.”
Team Vitality appointed Johann Simon, better known as “Maniika”, as coach of the team. The ex-professional player has over a decade of experience in FIFA games and has participated in several World Cups with several titles to his name including, eLigue 1 Champion (2017) and Dreamhack Champion (2016). This season will be the beginning of his new path into coaching. Finally, Olivier “NephaleM” Morizet takes on the role of Team Manager to support the team throughout the year.
Johann “ManiiKa” Simon said: “I am delighted to start this new adventure, particularly for a huge organisation like Team Vitality and a club like LOSC! I can’t wait to work with the team and help them conquer eLigue1.”
Just like last year, the two clubs are keen to stand out during eLigue 1 Uber Eats with the ultimate goal of winning the league and qualifying for the FIFAe World Cup.
The team will continue to wear the Team Vitality x LOSC mixed jersey with the colours of red and white which stands as a symbol of the collaboration. The team will also continue to train at Team Vitality’s V.Performance bootcamp, in the famous Stade de France. They will also have access to the prestigious Domaine de Luchin training centre and headquarters of LOSC.
“Signing LOSC for a second year is an incredible opportunity for our two clubs. LOSC is a club that shares our vision of excellence in competition, whether that is in esports or traditional sports. We can’t wait for the season to begin to see this new duo evolve together,” Nicolas Maurer, CEO & Co-founder of Team Vitality, said.
“We’re delighted to renew our collaboration with Team Vitality who are one of Europe’s leading esports organisations, after a successful first year together. Team Vitality is an ambitious organisation, and so is LOSC! We’re all competitors, and by combining our strengths and shared values, we look to achieve our highest goals. We welcome Ilian and Maniika who’ll join Rocky and the team. We hope they have a great season in EA Sports FC esports,” Olivier Letang, President and CEO of LOSC, said.
Deal starts with the 2026 PMCO Western Europe Wildcard and adds a JanickaGaming ambassador program.
G2 and PUBG MOBILE Esports have announced a partnership aimed at growing the PUBG MOBILE esports ecosystem in Western Europe, the companies said on June 15, 2026 in Berlin.
The partnership begins with the 2026 PUBG MOBILE Club Open (PMCO) Western Europe Wildcard, with registration open now. G2’s in-house media and production unit, 62, will support tournament operations and community activations, spanning creator campaigns, media buying, and event management.
The first major activation under the agreement will be the 2026 PUBG MOBILE Global Open (PMGO) Western Europe Finals, scheduled for 11–13 September, with registration opening today, according to the announcement.
The companies are also launching an ambassador program for the region, naming German PUBG MOBILE content creator JanickaGaming as the Western Europe ambassador. PUBG MOBILE said she will stream PUBG MOBILE weekly and cover esports topics and tournaments alongside her existing social content.
“PUBG MOBILE has built something really special over the years. It’s one of the biggest games in the world and one of the most impressive esports ecosystems,” said Alban Dechelotte, CEO of G2.
Shaowei Chen, Head of Western Europe Publishing at PUBG MOBILE, added: “Western Europe represents one of the most promising growth frontiers for PUBG MOBILE esports, and G2 stands as a great strategic partner to drive this expansion.”
The post G2 partners with PUBG MOBILE Esports to scale Western Europe competition appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Grandmaster Mitrabha Guha has secured India’s second Chess slot for the Esports Nations Cup (ENC) 2026 after topping the regional qualifier, completing the country’s two-player contingent alongside Grandmaster Nihal Sarin. The ENC 2026 Finals are set for Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with Chess scheduled from November 2 to 8, 2026.
ENC 2026 Chess will feature 128 players competing for a USD 600,000 (~INR 5.7 crore) prize pool. The format starts with a round-robin group stage across 16 groups of eight players, before 64 players advance to a single-elimination playoff bracket, culminating in the final on November 8.
According to the release, 64 of the 128 players received direct invitations via the official Champions Chess Tour (CCT) rankings, with representation spanning 64 countries and territories. Confirmed names include Magnus Carlsen, Jan-Krzysztof Duda, Alireza Firouzja and Hikaru Nakamura. The field also includes Alexandra Kosteniuk and Mai Narva, described as the first women to officially qualify for the event. A further 61 players qualified through Chess.com-operated regional qualifiers, with three wildcard slots rounding out the field.
India’s second slot was determined through the Middle East, India, and Central Asia pathway, which began with an open nine-round Swiss event for verified titled players under a 10+0 rapid time control, followed by a double-elimination bracket. Guha finished the Swiss stage as the only unbeaten player (six wins, three draws), then defeated Syria’s Malek Koniahli and Iran’s Artin Ashraf in the upper bracket to clinch qualification.
Speaking about his qualification, Grandmaster Mitrabha Guha said, “The regional qualifier was challenging from start to finish. Chess has become an increasingly important part of the global esports ecosystem, and the Esports Nations Cup is a great reflection of that growth. The tournament will bring together some of the strongest players from around the world, so preparation will be key. Over the coming months, my focus will be on refining different aspects of my game and ensuring I am ready to perform at my highest level when the competition begins”
Beyond Chess, NODWIN Gaming, identified as India’s National Team Partner for ENC 2026, has announced national team rosters for DOTA 2, MOBA Legends: 5v5! and Rocket League, with regional qualifier windows listed as June 29-July 1 (DOTA 2), August 15-16 (MOBA Legends: 5v5!, if India misses a direct invite), and July 17-19 (Rocket League).
The post Mitrabha Guha qualifies for Esports Nations Cup 2026 Chess alongside Nihal Sarin appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
The Esports Foundation (EF) has opened applications for its 2026 Creator Program, committing $2 million (~INR 19 crore) in rewards for co-streamers supporting the Esports World Cup (EWC) 2026 in Paris and the Esports Nations Cup (ENC) 2026 in Riyadh. EF announced the program on June 12, 2026, from Paris and Riyadh, and said applications are open now, including for creators across India.
EF said co-streaming was a key driver of EWC reach last year, citing 3,500 co-streamers as “one of the key growth pillars” for EWC viewership in 2025. The Foundation is positioning the 2026 Creator Program as a scaled-up initiative, targeting 5,000 creators “across new regions and platforms.”
“This isn’t just an esports trend; it’s a media trend,” said Wasae Imran, Director Broadcast & Distribution at the Esports Foundation. “Across music, video, news and sport, audiences don’t just watch what they’re given anymore. They choose their own experience: what to watch, where to focus, and how deep to go. Esports just lives further down that road than most, and traditional sport is heading the same way. It’s not about delivering a match in one format, it’s about opening up every way into the same moment and letting fans choose how they want to consume it. The Creators Program is how we build for that, by enabling the growth of creators that fans already trust to carry the world’s biggest esports event into every community.”
According to EF, approved creators can co-stream selected tournaments, complete missions, and progress a “Battle Pass” tied to rewards ranging from gift cards and hardware to platform perks and invitations to EWC and ENC. EF said the program supports multiple streaming platforms, including Twitch, YouTube, Bilibili, Huya, and CHZZK.
EF also confirmed operational details for EWC 2026: the event is set for Paris Expo Porte de Versailles from July 6 through August 23, featuring more than 2,000 players and 200 Clubs from over 100 countries across 25 tournaments and 24 games, with a $75 million+ prize pool. ENC 2026 is scheduled for November in Riyadh and will extend the creator program to a nation-based competition format.
The post Esports Foundation opens 2026 co-streaming Creator Program with $2m rewards pool appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
-
Latest News6 days agoN1 Partners x RAZE Case: ROI+ in Canada within 3 Days
-
Africa7 days ago
WorldGaming Enters into Partnership with African iGaming Alliance
-
Canada7 days ago
St8 cements Ontario content offering through latest partnership with RubyPlay
-
Canada6 days ago
N1 Partners x RAZE Case: ROI+ in Canada within 3 Days
-
Balkans5 days ago
EGT Digital signs sponsorship deal with CSKA Sofia
-
Booming Games5 days ago
Booming Games launches Ronaldinho’s Streetball Bonanza slot
-
Genius Sports4 days ago
LIGA MX and Polymarket Announce Sponsorship Agreement for the US Territory with Official Data and Integrity Collaboration from Genius Sports
-
Canada6 days ago
N1 Partners x RAZE Case: ROI+ in Canada within 3 Days
