International tournament organizer and festival company ESL FACEIT Group (EFG) recently instituted a fresh round of layoffs, according to a new report from journalist Richard Lewis. According to that report, around 80 to 90 employees were affected by this recent round of layoffs, with many coming from the EMEA division, which handled Esports World Cup (EWC) qualifiers in the region. This reporting is based on independent sources as well as an internal email sent to EFG staff, obtained by Lewis.
The email does note that there likely won’t be any more staff reductions for the foreseeable future. An excerpt from the email from EFG CEO Niccolo Maisto to staff reads, in part:
“Critically, this marks the end of this phase of change. With these foundations in place, we don’t anticipate any further changes of this scale. We’ve now established a truly sustainably foundation while not only preserving our core capabilities, but enabling us to better serve our partners and customers moving forward.”
This news follows a similar report from Lewis at the end of July about pending layoffs, which put the number of people that could be affected between 200 and 300.
A spokesperson for EFG issued the following statement to TEA on Wednesday afternoon:
“Since the formation of ESL FACEIT Group, the business has nearly tripled in size, cementing EFG as the undisputed market leader in esports and gaming festivals. Our market leadership comes with a critical responsibility: to ensure our operations are agile and sustainable for the long term. This rapid growth requires continuous investment, but also introduces complexity and inefficiency over time. To ensure we can grow sustainably and keep investing in our vision for the long term, we must consolidate our operations. This was not solely about cost cutting, but a strategic realignment to reduce complexity, streamline operations, and focus resources on areas with the biggest growth potential. To achieve this necessary focus, regrettably, a number of roles across the organization will be impacted.”While these decisions are difficult, we are fully committed to supporting our colleagues who are impacted by this transition. We owe it to them to act responsibly as we build a business capable of delivering over the long term.”
In response to a request for comment on the number of impacted employees in this recent round of layoffs, the company said through a spokesperson:
“As a private company, we do not disclose internal personnel matters. We can, however, confirm that as part of a strategic realignment to reduce complexity, streamline operations, and focus resources on areas with the biggest growth potential, we have made the difficult decision to reduce our global workforce. We are very sorry to see people leave the business and are very grateful for all their hard work.”
EFG has been consolidating its operations throughout the years since it was established from a merger between ESL and FACEIT in 2022, following the purchase of both entities by Savvy Games Group. In March 2024, the company laid off around 15% of its global workforce, and in February of this year, The Esports Advocate reported that the company had cut down the number of employees working at the Burbank offices of Esports Engine, a production company that focuses on North American and the United Kingdom tournament operations and production. The layoffs followed Esports Engine Co-Founder Adam Apicella joining ESL FACEIT Group in September 2024 as senior vice president of esports for North America. Apicella left Esports Engine in March 2023 following parent company Vindex’s sale to EFG in March 2023 (TEA chronicled the controversy surrounding that deal in this report).
Perhaps related to these recent layoffs or merely a matter of coincidental timing, but longtime EFG executive Rodrigo Samwell announced a few weeks ago that, after more than eight years with the company, he would be transitioning to a new role as a senior advisor. In his announcement, Samwell said the following:
“Over the last 8 years, I helped create the largest esports company in the world. With the sale and merger that led to the creation of the ESL FACEIT Group – EFG as part of Savvy Games Group, we reached Unicorn status. Since then, we have continued to grow immensely, further solidified that position, and set the company on the path to sustainable profitability, establishing a strong foundation for the future.
“Now I am excited to transition into a Senior Advisor role. In this new capacity, I will remain engaged with EFG and Savvy Games Group, fostering relationships with senior stakeholders, representing the company on key occasions, and staying invested in our long-term success.
“It has been an incredible and fulfilling journey so far, and I am eager to embrace what lies ahead.”
It is unclear where Samwell is heading, as of this writing. Samwell spent more than eight years at EFG/ESL in various executive roles, including CCO and chief marketing officer. Prior to joining EFG, he spent more than 18 years at German telecoms company Vodafone in various marketing and operations roles. Samwell follows Co-CEO Craig Levine, who announced in May that he would be exiting the company.
EFG is a wholly owned division of Savvy Games Group, which is in turn 100% owned by the Saudi Arabian government’s sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund (PIF). Projects and companies related to/or owned by the Saudi Arabian government are frequently accused of helping the government engage in so-called “sports washing,” or using various forms of sport and entertainment to cover up its record on human rights, women’s rights, LGBTQ+ rights, military actions in Yemen, and more. These and other criticisms are actively highlighted by international watchdog groups such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.
Editor’s Note: This story was updated at 3:35 p.m. EST on Wednesday with an official statement from ESL FACEIT Group.