The Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC) announced Thursday that its annual esports business focused conference, the Global Esports Industry Week (GEIW) will take place June 18–21, in Cologne, Germany, alongside the Counter-Strike 2 event, IEM Cologne.
Following a “successful 2025 edition” in Austin, Texas, GEIW 2026 aims to expand in scale and scope, by “introducing new events, a broader international footprint, and deeper integration with the global esports sector.”
The 2026 event will be organized by The Esports Radar and the Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC), with ESL FACEIT Group (EFG) serving as its official host partner.
“Global Esports Industry Week was created to give the industry a dedicated space to connect, reflect, and move forward together,” said Sam Cooke, CEO of The Insights Group (the owner of The Esports Radar). “The opportunity to bring GEIW 2026 to Cologne alongside IEM Cologne especially in a Major year was one we couldn’t pass up! This edition is bigger, more ambitious, and more representative of where esports is heading as a global industry, with new dedicated summits to game development, education as well as our first Esports Leaders Honours, celebrating those who deserve recognition across the space.”
Organizers claim that GEIW 2026 will bring together senior leaders from game publishers, developers, brands, tournament operators, teams, agencies, education, and other stakeholders for four days of events, networking, and social events.
Some of the companies having a presence this year include ESL FACEIT Group, the Esports World Cup Foundation, ENorth Media, Moonton, NODWIN, Corsair, BLAST, ESBD, MSI, World Intellectual Property Organisation and AOC, among others. Individuals confirmed for the event include Esports World Cup Foundation CEO Ralf Reichert, EFG CEO Niccolo Maisto, and Insights Group CEO Sam Cooke (who was also the founder of Esports Insider).
Besides EFG serving as the official host partner, ENorth Media will serve as supporting partner, ESBD a strategic partner, Yellowhouse a strategic partner, World Intellectual Property Organisation: Arbitration and Mediation Centre a strategic partner and International Games, and Esports Tribunal a strategic partner.
For more information on the event, visit www.globalesportsweek.com.
The Esports World Cup Foundation and EFG are backed by the Saudi Arabian government’s Sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund (PIF).
Properties owned or tied to 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, LGTBQ+ 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.