eSports
Coinbase becomes BIG main partner in multi-million dollar deal
Leading global crypto platform Coinbase expands partnership with BIG and acquires main-partner rights in one the of the largest esport club deals within Europe.
Following a productive collaboration that started in August 2021, Coinbase has now become the main partner of Germany’s most successful CS:GO team.
As part of the multi-million dollar deal, Coinbase has acquired main partner rights to BIG’S CS:GO department as well as an extensive media rights package that includes a main-partner position on BIG’s official player jersey. Together with Coinbase, BIG will continue to do a wide variety of activations including community events, tournaments and money-can’t-buy fan experiences.
The deal comes following the multi-million dollar acquisition of membership slots in both the BLAST Premier and ESL Pro League circuits, indicating the attractiveness of these elite leagues to partners. As a partner team, BIG will continue competing in these circuits for the long-term future, continuing with the BLAST Premier Spring Final in Lisbon this Summer.
BIG’s CS:GO players will already wear the new jersey at their upcoming events, with multiple large LAN championships on the horizon for the team. The deal itself was facilitated by SPORTFIVE, to whom we are exceptionally thankful for their excellent cooperation!
Statement Daniel Finkler, CEO
The extension of the partnership with Coinbase as the new BIG CS:GO Main Partner is a significant milestone for our organization. The financial scope of the partnership demonstrates that the acquisition of the BLAST Premier and ESL Pro League Partner Slots in 2021 proved to be the best decision we could have made. Together with Coinbase, we will compete in the largest and most prestigious esports competitions globally.
It honors me a lot that we were able to win the world’s leading crypto platform as a long-term partner. Over the past few years, Coinbase has become a market leader in the rapidly growing and extremely exciting crypto market. As the main partner, Coinbase will contribute significantly to the further development and growth of Berlin International Gaming. Jointly, we have developed a very comprehensive rights package that will also be visually reflected on our channels. Additionally, Coinbase will have the main partner slot on the official BIG CS:GO Jersey. I am very grateful for the trust in BIG and look forward to working with Chris Grundy and the Coinbase team. A big thank you also goes to SPORTFIVE for the excellent cooperation and facilitation of one of the largest esport deals in the DACH region!
Statement Coinbase
“BIG has been a fantastic partner since summer 2021,” says Sascha Rangoonwala, Country Manager Germany at Coinbase. “This partnership with Germany’s leading eSports organisation, BIG, has proven to help us better reach digital natives and educate them about the benefits and risks of cryptocurrencies. That’s why we’ve now deepened the partnership and look forward to driving the awareness and adoption of crypto assets in Germany together.”
Eike Gyllensvärd, President Esports at SPORTFIVE:
„We are beyond excited to be able to bring together such two strong brands and further develop their partnership going forward. This announcement is a testament to the deep industry experience and esports expertise that SPORTFIVE offers to rights-holders and brands alike.”
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amd
S8UL partners with AMD ahead of Esports World Cup 2026 campaign
AMD Ryzen and Radeon hardware will be used across S8UL’s esports, streaming and creator workflows as the Indian org ramps up its EWC push.
S8UL has signed a strategic partnership with Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) ahead of its Esports World Cup (EWC) 2026 campaign, as the Indian esports and gaming content organization targets further international expansion.
Under the agreement, AMD will equip S8UL’s players and creators with AMD Ryzen
AI 400 Series processor-based PCs, AMD Ryzen
9000 Series processors, and AMD Radeon
RX 9000 Series graphics cards for gaming, streaming, content creation and general productivity.
The deal lands as S8UL prepares for EWC 2026 after being selected for the Esports World Cup Foundation’s Club Partner Program for a second consecutive year. The organization said it has already secured qualification spots in Apex Legends, Chess, Fortnite, Honor of Kings, and Trackmania, while continuing to pursue additional slots in other titles. The partnership also follows S8UL onboarding Campa Energy as the Title Sponsor for its EWC 2026 campaign.
“S8UL has always focused on both competitive success and content creation. As we prepare for the Esports World Cup, AMD’s technology will support our players and creators across competition, streaming and content production. We’re excited to work together as we continue to grow our presence globally,” said Animesh ‘Thug’ Agarwal, Co-Founder and CEO, S8UL.
“India’s gaming ecosystem is expanding beyond competition, with creators playing an increasingly important role in how communities connect and grow,” said Vinay Sinha, Managing Director, Sales, AMD India. “Organizations like S8UL are helping shape that evolution, and we’re excited to support their players and creators with AMD technology as they continue to engage gaming and creators’ communities in India and around the world.”
EWC 2026 is scheduled for July 6 to August 23, with the Esports World Cup organisers stating it will feature more than 2,000 players and 200 clubs from over 100 countries competing for a $75 million prize pool.
The post S8UL partners with AMD ahead of Esports World Cup 2026 campaign appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
eSports
Esports Awards adds player-voted EWC Players’ Choice Award, extends Esports Foundation deal
The Esports Awards and the Esports Foundation (EF) on June 18, 2026, announced a three-year extension of their partnership through 2028 and introduced a new player-voted honor, the EWC Players’ Choice Award. The announcement was made in London, with voting tied to Esports World Cup (EWC) 2026 in Paris.
The EWC Players’ Choice Award will be decided exclusively by professional esports players. According to the announcement, competitors attending EWC 2026 will vote in person, while a secure digital voting platform hosted by the Esports Awards will allow participation from additional eligible players and clubs.
Eligibility requires players to have competed in at least one qualifying S, A or B-Tier tournament during the official competitive season. Players will not be able to vote for themselves or teammates, with the Esports Awards overseeing the process.
“The talent and innovation of our sector should be getting the exposure it deserves.,” said Michael Ashford, CEO of the Esports Awards. “The Esports Foundation has done an incredible job in generating mainstream attention, and industry exposure outside of the standard circuit. Our partnership has enabled us to expand our operations and footprint and it’s through our continued collaboration that I hope we can bring the Esports Awards to the global community, and provide the industry with better visibility all year round.”
The Esports Awards also confirmed its 2026 ceremony will take place in the United States, starting what it described as a rotating host city model featuring “previously unvisited destinations.” The event previously staged its 2024 awards ceremony and the 2025 Decade Awards in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia as part of the Esports World Cup program.
EWC 2026 is scheduled for Paris from July 06 through August 23, 2026, with more than 2,000 players and 200 Clubs from over 100 countries set to compete in 25 tournaments across 24 games. Voting for the EWC Players’ Choice Award will run from July 1 through August 18, 2026, with the winner to be revealed during the Esports Awards ceremony later this year. The Esports Awards said additional details about its 2026 event will be announced in the coming weeks.
The post Esports Awards adds player-voted EWC Players’ Choice Award, extends Esports Foundation deal appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
chess
ENC 2026 chess qualifiers wrap as 82 nations and territories make the field
The Esports Foundation (EF) has completed the online regional qualifiers for the Chess tournament at the Esports Nations Cup 2026 (ENC), scheduled to debut in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from November 2-29, 2026.
EF said the 128-player chess field is now largely set. 64 players from 64 countries and territories received direct invitations via official Champions Chess Tour (CCT) rankings at the end of May, while 61 players qualified through online regional events operated by Chess.com across North America, South America, Africa, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Middle East/India/Central Asia, and East Asia/Southeast Asia/Oceania.
A further slot was awarded to Amani Alazmi (Kuwait) via the Host Region Wildcard as the next highest-placing competitor from the host region. Two Wildcard Solidarity slots for underrepresented regions remain and will be announced at the end of August after all ENC qualifiers are completed. With qualifiers concluded, EF said at least 82 countries and territories will be represented in chess at ENC 2026.
EF highlighted that Jamaica, Paraguay, Singapore, South Africa, Tajikistan, Tunisia, and Turkmenistan each secured two qualifying slots despite not receiving a direct invitation. Honduras, Mexico, El Salvador, Venezuela, Morocco, Nigeria, Algeria, Jordan, Australia, and New Zealand secured one slot each.
The chess competition runs November 2-8. EF said the event will open with a round-robin group stage featuring 16 groups of eight players, before moving to a 64-player single-elimination playoff bracket. The full list of qualified players and nations is available on the ENC website’s chess page.
The post ENC 2026 chess qualifiers wrap as 82 nations and territories make the field appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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