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Esports Leaders Honours 2026 Shortlists Revealed

Black esports poster over Cologne skyline: Esports Leaders Honours 2025-26 shortlist revealed, with date and venue details.

The shortlists for the inaugural Esports Leaders Honours awards have been announced, with the ceremony set to take place on June 19, 2026, at Cologne City Hall.


The event is part of Global Esports Industry Week (GEIW) 2026, which runs alongside IEM Cologne. ESL FACEIT Group is the Host Partner for GEIW this year.


The awards night will be invitation-only, and the Lord Mayor of Cologne, Torsten Burmester, will be in attendance. Winners will be announced live on the stage at the Kölner Rathaus, making it quite the occasion for everyone nominated.


Esports Leaders Honours is a new awards programme created by The Esports Radar. It celebrates individuals, organisations, and projects that made a meaningful impact on the esports industry over the past year. Six main categories have been announced, along with a special Local Hero award that will be decided on the night.


Here is a look at the full shortlists across each category.


Access and Grassroots Champions in Esports

  • Stefy Bau (CEO, Init Esports)

  • Mags Byrne (Founder, EStars)

  • Ole Martin Gjestad (Founder, KRED Norge)

  • Désiré Koussawo (President, SAGES Africa)

  • David Kosir (Founder, Friendly Fire)

  • Elliot Mack (Co-Founder and CEO, DAIGON Esports)

  • Jon Winkle (Founder, EPIC.LAN)


Esports Leader

  • Akshat Rathee

  • Anna Rozwandowicz

  • Fabien "neo" Devide

  • HRH Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan

  • Monica Dinsmore

  • Niccolo Maisto

  • Ralf Reichert

  • Robbie Douek


Rising Star in Esports

  • Bilguunbat Enkhbayar (Co-Founder and CEO, The MongolZ)

  • Emanuele Acerbis (CEO and Co-Founder, NOVO Esports)

  • Heloisa Passos (Founder, trexx)

  • Kalam Neale (Head of Education, British Esports)

  • Liam Whitehead (Head of Partnerships, Method)

  • Meg Cabaras (Senior Account Executive, Esports and Gaming, Octagon)

  • Sheridan McGuire (Founder, College Esports News)


Standout Esports Advertising Campaigns

  • DHL x EFG x Chew Productions: The Dispatch

  • G2 x Solo Leveling (Crunchyroll)

  • HEROIC x Razed

  • Jameel Motorsport x Esports World Cup 2025

  • Team Liquid x Magnus Carlsen

  • Team Vitality x Nescafé Latte

  • Team Vitality x Stake


Best Product Innovation in Esports

  • DPM LOL

  • EVA (Esports Virtual Arenas)

  • Logitech G ProX2 Superstrike Mouse

  • Runestone

  • Shikenso

  • UNEVN BASE PC Solution

  • ZOWIE by BenQ


Industry Development of the Year


Nominees were selected by The Esports Radar panel following an open, public call for submissions.


There is also a Local Hero category, which does not have a public shortlist. This award recognises someone who has made a significant contribution to esports at a local level. Since the ceremony is being held in Germany this year, The Esports Radar has partnered with E-Sport-Bund Deutschland (ESBD) to decide the winner.


Sam Cooke, CEO of The Insights Group, commented on the selections. "As ever with this kind of exercise and selecting those who deserve recognition across these areas this was extremely difficult, but we're really pleased with those we've chosen. They've all contributed something meaningful in different ways to esports over this past year in particular, and for many of them for much longer than that too."


He also hinted at bigger plans ahead. "We're excited to celebrate these people, organisations and the space in Cologne at City Hall in June, and even more excited to scale this Honours platform into the future. We want it to be more representative and do the sector worldwide justice. Those developments and that process will follow soon after 19th June."


The event is supported by a strong partner network. Runestone is the Title Partner, while ESL FACEIT Group serves as the Host Partner. Supporting and strategic partners include ZOWIE, Abios, ESBD, yellow house, the World Intellectual Property Organisation Arbitration and Mediation Centre, and the International Games and Esports Tribunal.


More details about the ceremony and registration for GEIW 2026 are available at globalesportsweek.com.

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