IESF - International Esports Federation

Years of competition.
Moments of victory.
A legacy that lasts.

Only 9 nations have reached 6+ medals at the IESF World Esports Championship.

This is The Medal Club 🥇🥈🥉

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𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲. 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩. 𝐃𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞.

These are the priorities shaping the future of the World of esports.

In the latest blog from our Board Member Series, we introduce Alex Young Man Kim, Global Vice President of the International Esports Federation and President of the Korea e-Sports Association.

With more than two decades of experience in the esports ecosystem, Alex brings a strong focus on strengthening governance through transparency, establishing global standards through leadership, and reinforcing the value of esports through data and research.

His perspective reflects the growing responsibility of IESF as an international federation, not only to support its members, but to help define the direction of the esports ecosystem at an international level.

From athlete protection frameworks to sustainable governance models, his work contributes to building a more structured, trusted, and unified 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐄𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬.

Read his full blog.
🔗 https://iesf.org/news/bm-series-alex

𝐃𝐢𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐜𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠.
And esports might be part of that shift.

At World Esports Summit 2025, in this session, the discussion explored a simple but powerful question:
𝐂𝐚𝐧 𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐚 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐝𝐢𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐜𝐲?

For younger generations, connection no longer happens through traditional channels.
It happens through 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐬, 𝐠𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬.

Esports has already created global communities where millions interact in real time, beyond borders, cultures, and languages.

That’s what makes it interesting from a diplomatic perspective.

Not just as entertainment, but as a form of soft power, a way to connect nations through participation, culture, and shared experiences.

From Korea to Serbia to Jordan, examples are already emerging where esports is being used to:
• Strengthen international cooperation
• Engage younger audiences
• Expand cultural exchange

👉 Not through policy, but through connection.

This doesn’t replace traditional diplomacy. But it introduces something new:
A 𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥-𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐠𝐥𝐨𝐛𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.

And that may become increasingly important in the years ahead.

Thank you to the speakers for the insightful discussion: Mostafa Abusamra, Young-sook Nam, Ivan Dimitrijevic, H.E. Nemanja Grbic, and HRH Prince Omar Bin Faisal!

🎥 Watch the full session here: https://youtu.be/w4DmZky0-5s?si=cTwXvucFhW2aZwNA

Esports & Diplomacy | World Esports Summit 2025 | IESF Esports & Diplomacy🎤 World Esports Summit 2025 | Busan, South KoreaEsports is increasingly being leveraged as a tool for cultural diplomacy, fostering inter...

𝐄𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐥.
𝐈𝐭 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐜𝐨𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.

Publishers drive the games and ecosystems.

Federations connect everything around them, from governments and education to grassroots communities.

And 𝐧𝐞𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐲 𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐞. Of course, collaboration isn’t always easy.

Different priorities, lack of experience, and cultural gaps still create friction. But that’s exactly why long-term alignment and communication matter.

And it comes down to this:
🔹 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧’𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠
🔹 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲’𝐫𝐞 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐬𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦 𝐭𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫

Thanks to the speakers for the insights: Ray K.W. Ng, Elin Yoojung Moen, James Yang, Arantza L., and Jeff Hu.

🎥 Full session: https://youtu.be/hmbB735l7o0?si=mlpHVeQVouKD4HZ_

How Publishers and Federations Shape Esports | World Esports Summit 2025 | IESF Partnering for Success: How Publishers and Federations Shape Esports🎤 World Esports Summit 2025 | Busan, South KoreaEsports publishers play a central role i...

“𝐄𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐚 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭.”
We’ve all heard it.

But after this session at World Esports Summit 2025, that debate feels outdated.

The real question isn’t whether esports is competing with traditional sports.
👉 It’s whether traditional sports can afford to ignore it.

Because what’s happening right now isn’t competition. 𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞.

Esports already delivers what defines sport: competition, skill, and global impact. At the same time, it’s doing something many traditional sports struggle with: 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫, 𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥-𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬.

This isn’t about replacement. It’s about evolution.

Traditional sports bring structure and legacy.
Esports brings innovation and new ways to engage.
𝐓𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲’𝐫𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞.

Thank you to the speakers for the insightful discussion: Boban Totovski, Eric Stranne, Gustavo Arellano Jorge, Vlad Marinescu, and Nurassyl Medeu.

🎥 Watch the full session here: https://youtu.be/duUdwrkiuf8?si=0BHqhemZRsFFSZMW

Beyond the Arena Sports and Esports Converge | World Esports Summit 2025 | IESF Beyond the Arena: Sports and Esports Converge🎤 World Esports Summit 2025 | Busan, South KoreaMajor sports organizations, including FIFA, FIBA, FIA, and inte...

𝐀𝐈 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬.
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬: 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐢𝐭?

At World Esports Summit 2025, the discussion moved beyond whether AI is a threat or an opportunity.

Instead, it focused on something more important: 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐰𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬, 𝐠𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.

AI is already enhancing esports in multiple ways, from training and coaching to strategy analysis, performance tracking, and fan engagement. As one key idea from the session highlighted, AI is not just a tool, but an “amplifier”, strengthening both the opportunities and the risks within the ecosystem.

And those risks are real.

From data security and privacy concerns to competitive fairness, the panel emphasized that without proper frameworks, AI could introduce new forms of imbalance, especially if access to AI tools is not equal across players and teams.

Another critical point was data governance. Esports generates vast amounts of real-time data, making it a powerful asset, but also a potential liability if not properly managed.

The conversation made one thing clear:
👉 It’s not about adopting AI faster
👉 It’s about implementing it responsibly

𝐁𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐝, 𝐢𝐭’𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐞𝐝, 𝐢𝐭’𝐬 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐝𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.

Thank you to the speakers for the insightful discussion: Flip de Bruyn, Afiq Fadhli Narawi, Seth Jenny, Tsubasa Shinohara, and Ignat Bobrovich.

🎥 Watch the full session here: https://youtu.be/R5bmJZm5HPM?si=jY2h2lLyx_40X79r

Ai and Esports: Leap or Threat | World Esports Summit 2025 | IESF AI and Esports: Leap or Threat?🎤 World Esports Summit 2025 | Busan, South KoreaArtificial intelligence is rapidly transforming esports, from cheat detection...

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧 𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐬𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦?

While forming federations or organizations may be relatively straightforward, the panel emphasized that creating a sustainable ecosystem is far more complex. It requires real structures, from athlete development pathways and career opportunities to transparent governance and long-term strategies.

A key message stood out:
𝐄𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐞𝐱𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐚 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲.

Unlike traditional sports, esports is fundamentally community-driven, and its growth depends on the people actively shaping it: athletes, organizers, and local leaders.

The discussion also highlighted the importance of regional competitions, not only for talent development but also for driving economic and social impact through sponsorships, broadcasting, and local engagement.

Ultimately, the session reinforced a simple but powerful idea:
👉 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐄𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐲𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐭 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐮𝐩, 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬.

Thank you to the speakers for the valuable insights: Filip Soc, Luka Kulusic, Nikola Stolnik, Cedomir Ilic, Soufiane El Filali

🎥 Watch the full session here: https://youtu.be/9zcfQYFeyhE?si=Gs1HsqnLZWF5Lzko

The Regional Voices in the World of Esports | World Esports Summit 2025 | IESF The Regional Voices in the World of Esports🎤 World Esports Summit 2025 | Busan, South KoreaRegional organizations play a crucial role in shaping the World o...

𝐀𝐧𝐭𝐢-𝐝𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐮𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬.

While awareness around anti-doping is growing, the discussion made it clear that esports is still in an early stage when it comes to structured implementation. Information remains fragmented, access to education is inconsistent, and not all stakeholders are fully engaged.

One key takeaway was that esports cannot simply replicate traditional sports systems. Instead, it needs adapted frameworks that reflect its unique structure, particularly its online nature and reliance on publishers.

A notable example shared during the session was Korea’s approach through KADA, where education is prioritized over testing, especially considering the young age of many esports athletes. This model highlights the importance of building awareness before enforcement.

The panel also emphasized that collaboration is essential, especially with publishers, to enable data sharing, policy alignment, and consistent implementation across competitions.

Ultimately, the conversation showed that esports has reached a turning point:
👉 It’s no longer about whether anti-doping is needed.
👉 It’s about how to build a standardized, global system.

Thank you to the speakers for the valuable insights:
Łukasz Klimczyk, Tomáš Gábriš, Alejandro Alguacil Segura, Valentin Capelli, Christoffer Johansson, Junghwan Han!

🎥 Watch the full session here: https://youtu.be/ImN_3TXl-p4?si=BKfUrGrsjOR2lXXZ

Anti Doping in Esports Defining Standards | World Esports Summit 2025 | IESF Anti-Doping in Esports: Defining Standards🎤 World Esports Summit 2025 | Busan, South KoreaEsports presents unique anti-doping challenges compared with tradi...

𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐥𝐲 𝐬𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞?

Today, more than 80% of esports industry revenue comes from sponsorships, yet many partnerships remain short-term and focused on visibility rather than long-term impact.

One of the key takeaways from the panel was clear:
“𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚 𝐛𝐲-𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭. 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭.”

Esports offers opportunities far beyond traditional sponsorship models.
From in-game integrations and highlight-moment branding to data-driven insights and ecosystem partnerships, the conversation highlighted how brands, cities, publishers, and technology companies can contribute to building a sustainable esports ecosystem.

Another major theme was the growing role of data infrastructure. Esports generates millions of data points every second, and the ability to collect, analyze, and translate this data into real value for industry partners will play a crucial role in the future of sponsorship and engagement.

Thank you to the speakers for sharing their perspectives:
Ido Brosh, Nalain Naidoo, Tomica Madjercic, Branka Bajt, Dipesh Makwana, Micah Li!

🎥 You can watch the full panel discussion here: https://youtu.be/isoEF-1ojNY?si=8MToxXf66zjYd6wg

Impact Over Impressions | World Esports Summit 2025 | IESF Impact Over Impressions: Rethinking Esports Sponsorship Models🎤 World Esports Summit 2025 | Busan, South KoreaEsports sponsorship is evolving, with some bra...

𝐆𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞, 𝐜𝐨𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬.

In the latest blog from our Board Member Series, we introduce Elin Yoojung Moen, IESF Board Member, 1st Vice President of the Norwegian Esports Federation, and Vice President of the European Esports Federation.

With a background in traditional sports as a member of Norway’s national taekwondo team, Elin brings valuable experience and perspective to the development of esports governance.

Within the IESF Board, she focuses on strengthening governance, encouraging collaboration with international sports organizations, and building constructive dialogue with game publishers to support the sustainable growth of esports worldwide.

Read her full blog.

🔗 https://iesf.org/news/bm-series-elin

𝟏𝟎𝟎 𝐃𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩

The first hundred days of leadership are rarely about announcements.
They are about restoring balance, strengthening institutions, and building trust.

Over the past 100 days, the new leadership of the International Esports Federation has focused on reinforcing the foundations that support the World of Esports.

Financial stability was established as a priority, with the President and the Board working to ensure transparency and accountability across the federation. 𝐎𝐧 𝟏𝟔 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐢𝐧 𝐁𝐮𝐝𝐚𝐩𝐞𝐬𝐭, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐨𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐝 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐦𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 to align priorities and continue strengthening governance.

That same day, the 𝐄𝐱𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐌𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 marked an important democratic moment for the federation. Member federations reviewed and confirmed financial documents and participated in important governance decisions, including updates to the voting system aimed at making participation more inclusive and representative.

These steps may not always be visible, but they are essential.

Strong institutions are built through governance, responsibility, and the trust of their members.

The first 100 days were about reinforcing those foundations.
And the work continues.

Read more: https://iesf.org/news/100-days-new-leadership

𝐄𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐤𝐞𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬.

As part of the IESF Board Member Series, we introduce Clint Kennedy, Board Member of the International Esports Federation, Managing Director of the United States Esports Federation, and Board Member of the North America Scholastic Esports Federation.

With more than a decade of experience connecting esports and education, Dr. Kennedy is focused on advancing IESF’s education and certification initiatives, helping create stronger pathways for athletes, coaches, administrators, and federations around the world.

His work also supports greater transparency and collaboration across IESF’s global network, while contributing to the continued development of the World Esports Championship and expanding participation among national federations.

Through education, shared standards, and global cooperation, IESF continues working toward a stronger and more unified World of Esports.

Read his full blog.

🔗 https://iesf.org/bm-series-clint/