Press release —
Inaugural Esports Leaders Honours Winners Announced in Cologne
Event Imagery here.
COLOGNE, 20 June 2026 - The inaugural Esports Leaders Honours took place this Friday, 19th June as part of Global Esports Industry Week (GEIW). Hosted across the Hyatt Regency and the Cologne City Hall, the ceremony celebrated individuals, organisations and initiatives that have helped shape esports over the past year, with awards spanning commercial innovation, grassroots development, product excellence, leadership and industry impact.
Image credit: Invest in Film
Among the evening's winners, Team Vitality Co-Founder Fabien Devide took home two trophies: one for the organisation's campaign with sponsor Stake, and another for Esports Leader of the year. Another award-winning initiative with French origins was the virtual reality esports operator EVA, which received honours as the Best Product Innovation in Esports for its ambitious expansion strategy, fundraising efforts and launch of structured competitive leagues featuring some of Europe's leading esports organisations.
NOVO Esports CEO and Co-Founder Emanuele Acerbis was named Rising Star in Esports, while the launch of the Esports Nations Cup was recognised as Industry Development of the Year.
The final award of the evening, Local Hero, was presented to Leipzig eSports in recognition of its contribution to the local esports ecosystem. The category was selected in partnership with the E-Sport-Bund Deutschland (ESBD).
Image credit: Invest in Film
The Esports Leaders Honours were created to spotlight the people and projects driving esports forward beyond the competition stage, recognising standout contributions across every corner of the industry. Two of the categories, Standout Esports Advertising Campaign and Access and Grassroots Champion in Esports, included Honourable Mentions, highlighting how competitive the selection process was.
See all shortlists and winners:
Categories and winners
Standout Esports Advertising Campaign
Presented by Visit Raleigh
Winner: Team Vitality x Stake
Honourable mention: DHL x ESL x Chew Productions - The Dispatch
Shortlist:
- G2 x Solo Leveling (Crunchyroll)
- HEROIC x Razed
- Team Liquid x Magnus Carlsen
- Jameel Motorsport x Esports World Cup 2025
- Team Vitality x Nescafé Latte
Image credit: Invest in Film
Best Product Innovation in Esports
Presented by Playmakers
Winner: EVA (Esports Virtual Arenas)
Shortlist:
- DPM LOL
- Logitech G – Pro X2 Superstrike
- Runestone
- Shikenso
- UNEVN
- ZOWIE by BenQ
Image credit: Invest in Film
Rising Star in Esports
Presented by KölnBusiness
Winner: Emanuele Acerbis (NOVO Esports)
Shortlist:
- Bilguunbat Enkhbayar (The MongolZ)
- Heloisa Passos (Trexx)
- Kalam Neale (British Esports)
- Liam Whitehead (Method)
- Meg Cabaras (Octagon)
- Sheridan McGuire (College Esports News)
Image credit: Invest in Film
Industry Development of the Year
Presented by The Story Mob
Winner: The launch of Esports Nations Cup
Shortlist:
- Riot Games opening betting sponsorship opportunities in EMEA and the Americas
- Qiddiya-owned RTS acquires Evo
- PIF, Silver Lake and Affinity Partners moving to purchase Electronic Arts (EA)
- The acquisition of MOONTON Games by Savvy Games Group
- India's formal recognition and regulation of esports
- BLAST and GamingMalta announce multi-year partnership & open studio
Image credit: Invest in Film
Access and Grassroots Champion in Esports
Presented by Get In
Winner: Ole Martin Gjestad (KRED Norge)
Honourable Mention: Mags Byrne (EStars)
Shortlist:
- David Kosir (Friendly Fire)
- Désiré Koussawo (SAGES Africa)
- Elliot Mack (DAIGON Esports)
- Jon Winkle (EPIC.LAN)
- Stefy Bau (Init Esports)
Image credit: Invest in Film
Esports Leader
Presented by Thomas Lyte
Winner: Fabien "neo" Devide
Shortlist:
- Akshat Rathee
- Anna Rozwandowicz
- HRH Prince Faisal
- Monica Dinsmore
- Niccolo Maisto
- Ralf Reichert
- Robbie Douek
Image credit: Invest in Film
Local Hero
Presented by ESBD
Winner: Leipzig eSports
Image credit: Invest in Film
The Esports Leaders Honours 2026 was part of the wider Global Esports Industry Week programme, which brings together stakeholders from across esports, gaming, sport, technology and entertainment to discuss the future of the industry and celebrate its achievements.
More Information
You can also follow The Esports Radar via the site here and on socials via TER LinkedIn and TER X for live Esports Leaders Honours updates. For more information on GEIW 2026, including registration and programme updates, visit globalesportsweek.com and follow GEIW on LinkedIn.
About Esports Leaders Honours
Esports Leaders Honours is an awards platform from The Esports Radar celebrating exceptional contributions to esports.
About Global Esports Industry Week
Global Esports Industry Week is an annual international gathering for those operating in and around the esports sector. From conference and expo, to evening socials, dinners & brunches, padel tournaments, workshops, community events and more, and alongside a major tournament finals, there’s plenty to keep you entertained at GEIW. Organised by The Esports Radar and ESIC, GEIW is designed to support sustainable growth, collaboration, and innovation across the global esports ecosystem, alongside celebrating excellence and ambition. For more information, visit www.globalesportsweek.com
About The Esports Radar & The Insights Group
The Insights Group is a media and events company dedicated to the digital entertainment, sports and tech sectors. Included in its media and events services is The Esports Radar, which provides daily multimedia coverage and in-depth analysis into the evolving world of esports and gaming, and Esports Leaders, an event brand which connects senior decision makers.
About ESIC (Esports Integrity Commission)
ESIC is the recognised guardian of the integrity of esports and works to disrupt, prevent, investigate, and prosecute all forms of cheating and malpractice in esports. Its overarching objective is to protect youth, promote industry investment, and safeguard the sporting integrity of esports. By addressing issues such as cheating, match-fixing, and doping, ESIC works to ensure fair play and integrity across all esports competitions. It collaborates with publishers, tournament organizers, and other stakeholders to establish unified standards for competition integrity, fostering a safe and equitable environment for all participants in the global video games and esports ecosystem.
