The Global Esports Federation (GEF) announced this week that its flagship championship event, the Global Esports World Finals (Global Esports Games), was awarded to the City of Los Angeles, California.
Financial terms of this deal were not disclosed.
The Opening Ceremony of the Los Angeles 2026 Global Esports World Finals (or #GEG26) is tentatively scheduled for Dec. 4, 2026.
The organization said in its announcement that it awarded the hosting deal to the City of Los Angeles after a “competitive process,” but it chose the city as the best location.
The Los Angeles Times Media Group (parent company of the LA Times) will serve as host partner. The agreement was formalized this week at the Los Angeles Times headquarters and was attended by Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and El Segundo Mayor Chris Pimentel.
“With less than three years until the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Los Angeles is alive with anticipation,” said Los Angeles Times Media Group Executive Chairman and CEO Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong. “Esports adds to that momentum, bringing its global energy and uniting gaming, sport, and a new wave of entertainment. Los Angeles Times Media Group is proud to help anchor this milestone event for our city and the world at the Los Angeles 2026 Global Esports World Finals Games.”
GEF added in its announcement that this deal “is the first step in a major strategic collaboration, which includes plans for a state-of-the-art esports stadium at the Los Angeles Times’ El Segundo campus.”
GEF is keen to sell its global championship-level events well in advance; in May 2024 it announced that Lima, Peru, will serve as the host city of the 2025 Global Esports Games, followed by LA in 2026, Qatar in 2027, and Azerbaijan in 2029. In 2024, the GEF left players who qualified for its final event of the year greatly disappointed when it inadvertently canceled its in person event in Chengdu, China.
The LA Times is owned by tech billionaire Soon-Shiong, who purchased it in 2018 for an estimated $500 million USD. In July he said he plans to take the media group created around the newspaper public.