Featured image: Microsoft Copilot
The core purpose of every sports federation is to seek recognition. These organizations are there to deliver to their stakeholders’ interests operating on a player, national, or international level within their given sport. When a traditional sport emerges, governing bodies are necessary to protect the sport through the provision of disciplinary action through rule infractions or rule changes for the respective sport.
The adjudicators of how games are governed are the game publishers or competition organizers, and sometimes they could be the same body. Game publishers just like sports governing bodies set rules for their games [i.e. in-game mechanics and league/tournament play] and intervene in player/team disputes and rule infractions.
What Are Some of the Active Esports Federations?
Photo Credit: Microsoft Copilot
What is important to note with esports federations is that they are governing bodies that are founded on the principles of their traditional sport federations, and they are not focused on a single game. Below are a number of esports federations and some leagues attached to their organizations:
International Esports Federation (IESF): The International Esports Federation is at its core driven by a mission to elevate the world of esports, resting on the foundation of the core values of unity, diversity, community, respect, recognition and education. Throughout the year there are a series of tournaments and events that are organized by the IESF, which includes their flagship tournament the World Esports Championship, the hub for elite esports athletes to connect with each other across the globe to foster an environment of fair and elite competition. Millions of players come from 140 nations to compete with each other, and the game titles include PUBG, Tekken 7, Dota 2, CS:GO, CS:GO Female, Mobile Legends and eFootball.
Global Esports Federation (GEF): The Global Esports Federation is an esports organization that promotes the credibility, legitimacy and prestige of esports through the cultivation of competition along with developing communities and the connection between sport, esports and technology. The GEF prioritizes the development of an inclusive, safe, healthy and sustainable esports ecosystem with a particular focus on responsible gaming, holistic wellness, fair play, education and career pathways for players and athletes. The flagship league for the federation is the annual Global Esports Cup, which rests on the foundation of five shards that represent the five continents and the core values of equality, diversion, fair play, inclusion and innovation.
World Esports Association (WESA): Founded in 2016, the World Esports Association is a group created by esports industry leaders to professionalize through increased player representation, standardizing regulations and creating revenue shares for teams. It was founded through a collaboration between ESL, the largest esports tournament organizer and ten other organizations, all of whom remain a part of the association. WESA’s mission is to become the benchmark for industry-wide standards, involving parties most affected by esports activity to the decision making process. They have started first with taking over the ESL Pro League Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, which gives players and teams a say in important issues such as schedules, and providing legal advice, stability and protection from economic uncertainties.
Emirates Esports Federation: Founded in 2015, the Emirates Esports Federation was established by the Ministerial Resolution No. 17 under the Sports Federations and Associations and then renamed in 2021 as the Emirates Electronic Sports Federation. The federation aims to promote esports in the United Arab Emirates by organizing and coordinating events among its members, working to spread them, raising their technical level and represent the UAE on external forums. For esports leagues, The Emirates Esports Federation and consulting management ITW Global have launched a new global franchised esports league called E-Gaming League (EGL), and is set to take place in the United Arab Emirates. This was announced in April, 2024. There are six franchises onboarded on the EGL, with players from Europe, North America, the Middle East and Asia. The league features six titles including Dota 2 and PUBG, with qualifiers earning eligibility for draft selection.
Korea Esports Federation (KeSPA): The Korea Esports Federation is an organization approved by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and an associate member of the Korea Sports Council. It was established in the year 2000 and it was for the purpose of creating a healthy leisure culture of esports, strengthening domestic and international exchanges and the promotion and protection of the rights and interests of esports players and teams. The leagues they hold include the President’s Cup Amateur Esports Tournament (KeG), Esports University League, LCK Challengers League, LCK Academy Series, and the KeSPA Cup.
Conclusion
For the engagement of government relations, intellectual property protection and advocation of the video game industry among other aspects of esports business, esports federations are of a necessity to help set the record straight with player and team protection and be the governing body in the competitive video game space.
Esports has helped create jobs for lots of people. Interested in knowing about the business side of esports? Listen to the Gamers Change Lives Podcast! We get experienced guests from all around the world featuring.
Written by Jeffrey Osei-Agyeman
