IESF Kicks off Bidding Process for 2024, 2025, and 2026 World Esports Championship

The International Esports Federation (IESF) announced that the bidding process is officially underway for the next 3 editions of the World Esports Championship. Interested cities are welcome to learn more about the bid process for IESF’s flagship event on the WE Championships Open Call.

The WE Championships have a rich and consistent history of uniting the World Esports Family for a thrilling competition and an international celebration of esports, where athletes compete in some of the world’s most famous game titles including CS:GO, Tekken 7, eFootball, Dota 2.

IESF President Vlad Marinescu said: “We look forward to exploring the potential hosts to be the next esports capitals of the world. The WE Championship brings in an influx of young and talented esports players and fans that create meaningful bonds with the community, leaving a lasting, positive impact on the host city. Highlighting diversity and inclusion in esports is a crucial part of the WE Championships’ success and captures the essence and identity of IESF. Thank you to all the cities interested in hosting the world’s biggest esports event.”

The 2022 WE Championships in Bali, Indonesia, featured over 600 athletes from 105 countries, the most nationalities ever represented in an esports tournament. The nearly 500 streamed hours of the action-packed competition received over 34 million views across Twitch and YouTube, according to a Nielsen Report. IESF also activated innovative partnerships throughout the tournament, such as one with FITGMR, to bring workshops and daily activities to promote health and well-being for esports players throughout the WE Championships.

“The World Esports Championships continues to grow in size, diversity, and popularity and successfully promotes esports worldwide. It provides host cities with increased visibility, economic impact, community involvement, and legacy,” said IESF Secretary General Boban Totovski, who encourages all interested cities to view the Open Call Guidelines to learn more about the requirements for hosting and submit information. “We look forward to continuing to engage with interested cities and reviewing applications,” Totovski said.

The next edition of the WE Championships will take place this year in Iași, Romania, from 24  August to 4 September, with a record number of 120 countries expected to participate. This year’s WE Championships will continue IESF’s goal of promoting sustainable and responsible esports worldwide, as well as promote inclusion in the World Esports Family with an expansion of IESF’s successful Women’s CS:GO Tournament.