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Esports Awards 2026 Is Heading to North America Later This Year

The Esports Awards 2026 has been officially announced, with the ceremony confirmed to take place later this year, probably in November, at a North American venue.


The exact city and location are yet to be revealed.


Three sleek black and gold Esports Awards trophies stand on a podium. The background is a warm gradient of gold tones, creating a prestigious mood.
image credit: Esports Awards

The Esports Awards has grown into one of the most recognized events in competitive gaming, often dubbed the "Oscars of esports." It remains the only major global award show focused entirely on the esports ecosystem, setting it apart from broader events like The Game Awards.


CEO Mike Ashford shared his thoughts in the official press release, saying:

"The Esports Awards continues to shine a spotlight on the very best in esports and gaming, and we're pleased to return for 2026. Following the success of the Decade Awards and our 10th anniversary celebrations, we look forward to recognising the individuals, teams and moments that defined the past year in esports."

Along with the main ceremony, the Esports Awards Golf Invitational will also be returning. It is set to run ahead of the main event, just as it did previously.


The show will bring back several crowd-pleasing categories that fans look forward to every year. These include:

  • Esports Game of the Year

  • Esports Personality of the Year

  • Esports Team of the Year


Last year's ceremony was held in Las Vegas and carried extra weight, as it marked the 10th anniversary of the Esports Awards. The event saw record-high viewership, which says a lot about how far the show has come since its humble beginnings in London back in 2016.


  • Esports Game of the Year: League of Legends

  • Esports Mobile Game of the Year: PUBG Mobile

  • Streamer of the Year: IShowSpeed

  • Esports Personality of the Year: Animesh "8bit Thug" Agarwal

  • Esports Team of the Year: Team Vitality (Counter-Strike squad)

  • Esports PC Player of the Year: Mathieu "ZywOo" Herbaut

  • Esports Org of the Year: Team Falcons

  • Content Creator of the Year: Jynxzi

  • Esports Publisher of the Year: Riot Games

  • Best Casters: CaptainFlowers and Vedius

  • Best Creative Campaign: Team Liquid

  • Best Supporting Platform: Liquipedia


The show has traveled quite a bit over its decade-long run. Here is a complete breakdown of all past ceremony locations:

  • 2016: London, UK (The Brewery) - Inaugural event

  • 2017: London, UK (The Brewery)

  • 2018: London, UK (The Brewery)

  • 2019: Arlington, Texas, USA (Esports Stadium Arlington) - First US edition

  • 2020: Arlington, Texas, USA

  • 2021: Arlington, Texas, USA (Esports Stadium Arlington)

  • 2022: Las Vegas, Nevada, USA (Resorts World Las Vegas)

  • 2023: Las Vegas, Nevada, USA (Resorts World Las Vegas)

  • 2024: Split ceremony - Part I in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (August 24), Part II in Los Angeles, USA (November 21)

  • 2025: Part I as Decade Awards in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (August 25), Part II in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA (November 19)

  • 2026: North America


Although not mentioned in the press release, the Esports Awards will host a separate event (Part I) in August in Riyadh as part of a controversial three-year partnership with the Saudi Arabia-backed Esports World Cup (EWC). The collaboration has already delivered two shows, 2024, 2025, and the 2026 editions are set to be the final ones unless the deal is extended.

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