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Cologne Major stickers paid teams a fraction of Budapest, HLTV reports
A month after the IEM Cologne Major, HLTV sets out what Valve's new sticker system paid teams: about US$60,000 for one early exit, against US$600,000 for a Budapest capsule.
National TeamsFrom 87 national squads to 24: the Esports Nations Cup field in CS2
The Counter-Strike 2 qualifiers of the Esports Nations Cup are over. Which 24 nations go to Riyadh in November, how twelve of the squads were built and what they play for.
AcademiesNIP put the Young Ninjas academy on hold and release its players
Ninjas in Pyjamas announced on July 20 that its Counter-Strike academy, Young Ninjas, is on hold for the foreseeable future. Three players and the coach are free to sign elsewhere.
SalariesUS minimum wage for esports players: federal floor and 2026 state rates
The federal floor is US$7.25 an hour, and most states set their own. The rates in force in July 2026, how a salary is measured against them, and how a league floor tied to state law works.
RevenueWhy some French esports clubs' accounts stay private
How French companies approve and file their annual accounts at the commercial court registry, and how micro and small companies can keep them, or their income statement, off the public record.
TechnologyHow MSC 2026 rules handle phones, headsets and lag in Mobile Legends
Organizer phones only, approved headsets, pauses for input delay and a game of record at 35 seconds: how the MSC 2026 rulebook deals with the technical side of Mobile Legends.
TechnologyPUBG: Battlegrounds at the EWC 2026: drivers, tools and gear allowed
Own mouse and keyboard, maker drivers checked by referees, no macros and no tuning tools: how the PUBG: Battlegrounds rulebook for Paris sets its software and gear rules.
TournamentsFaZe Vegas Beat OpTic Texas 5-2 to Win the Call of Duty Championship
FaZe Vegas denied OpTic Texas a third straight Call of Duty League title, winning the 2026 Championship 5-2 in Las Vegas on the back of three Search and Destroy wins.
TournamentsPARIVISION Beat BB Team to Win Dota 2 at the Esports World Cup 2026
PARIVISION beat BB Team 3-1 to win Dota 2 at the Esports World Cup 2026, avenging last year's semifinal exit and dropping only three games across the event.
CoachesAstralis appoint NEO head coach and add a performance coach
A month after parting ways with ruggah, Astralis hired its first head coach from outside Denmark, NEO, and brought in Xirreth from Natus Vincere as performance coach.
TechnologyStream Hatchet Returns as Esports World Cup 2026 Data Provider
Stream Hatchet was named a data and insights provider for Esports World Cup 2026, supplying live analytics and performance dashboards after two prior years.
VenuesBLAST takes a 2027 Counter-Strike 2 Open to Ulaanbaatar in May
BLAST takes the second Open of its 2027 Counter-Strike 2 season to the Mongolian capital: 16 teams and US$1.25 million from May 10 to 23, 2027.
RegulationPEGI 16 for paid loot boxes: how Europe's new game ratings work
From June 2026, PEGI rates games with paid random items 16 and adds ratings for spending pressure, daily play and chat safety. Existing games are revisited from October 1.
IntegrityESIC Suspends Two PlayTime Members Over an EWC 2026 Dota 2 Match
The Esports Integrity Commission provisionally suspended PlayTime's coach and midlaner after an integrity issue was flagged around a Dota 2 Survival Stage match.
TechnologyLeague of Legends at the EWC 2026: equipment, patch and Chronobreak rules
Own keyboard and mouse, organizer PCs cut off from the internet, patch 26.13 and a rewind tool for bugs: how the rulebook runs the technical side of League of Legends at the EWC.
Media RightsMSI 2026 peaks at 2.32 million viewers, more than 32 percent below 2025
T1 against G2 Esports, not the final, drew the largest audience of MSI 2026 in Daejeon, as peak viewers fell more than 32 percent on the record 2025 edition.
RostersTeam Vitality bench Humanoid and start FIESTA in LEC Summer
Team Vitality change one of five for the 2026 LEC Summer Split: Humanoid goes to the bench and FIESTA starts in the mid lane. The split opens July 24 in Paris.
CoachesG2 Esports bench Dylan Falco and make Perkz LEC head coach
Hours after its exit from MSI 2026, G2 Esports moved head coach Dylan Falco to the bench and gave the job to Perkz, starting at the Esports World Cup in Paris.
PlayersWho Are the Women Redefining Esports at EWC 2026?
From national Valorant rosters to a 16-team MLBB Women's International, EWC 2026 showcased women players even as EWC's own organizers argue against gender quotas.
AcademiesMOUZ NXT sign two players and return to a full five
MOUZ announced two signings for its academy team MOUZ NXT on July 10. The team had been down to three players since April and had not played since May.