The Esports Radar

China has withdrawn from the League of Legends competition at the 2026 Asian Games. According to the official list of participating teams released by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), China is absent from the League of Legends event roster. No official statement explaining China’s absence has been released so far. However, reports suggest that the move is linked to poor relations between China and Japan, which is hosting the Games. More info in comments.

South Korean esports powerhouse T1 Entertainment & Sports has reportedly finalised a contract extension for Chief Executive Officer Joe Marsh, keeping him at the helm of the legacy organisation for nearly three more years. Details at the link in comments. First reported by INVEN (NAVER Corp).

Football governing body FIFA has officially unveiled its updated, long-term Digital Football Strategy, formalising a definitive structural shift in how the organisation operates within the video game and esports industries. Under this updated strategy, FIFA is actively expanding its diversified portfolio through established partnerships with major industry stakeholders, including Roblox, Epic Games (Rocket League), Konami Digital Entertainment (eFootball), SEGA/Sports Interactive (SI) (Football Manager), Gamefam, Mythical Games, and Solace Games. Full story at the link in comments.

Qiddiya City | مدينة القدية and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) Professional League Middle East and North Africa (MPL MENA) have announced a five-year partnership to support the growth of esports and entertainment in the region. Ray K.W. Ng, Head of Esports Ecosystem at MOONTON GAMES, said, "Together with Qiddiya City, we want to continue building experiences that bring gaming, entertainment, and youth culture closer together across the region. The pace of growth we’re seeing for MLBB Esports in MENA has been incredibly encouraging." Full story in comments.

Publisher Riot Games has announced a major physical and structural overhaul to its European production hub ahead of VCT (VALORANT Champions Tour) EMEA Stage 2. Beginning on 15 July 2026, the competitive league will integrate regional Challengers League teams into its top-flight pipeline, expanding the seasonal schedule to a record number of match days. To accommodate this higher density of tournament fixtures without disrupting the League of Legends EMEA Championship (LEC), Riot has constructed a second custom broadcast environment—named the Studio Stage—inside the Riot Games Arena in Berlin, Germany. Full details at the link in comments.

Sweden-founded global digital entertainment company Ninjas in Pyjamas (NIP Group) has confirmed the elimination of several operational esports roles within its Swedish division. Full story at the link in comments.

Danish esports organisation Astralis has revealed the brands partnering with the team ahead of the IEM Cologne Major 2026. The partner lineup includes Stake, BenQ Corporation’s ZOWIE brand, Bazoom Group, and Nordic electronics retailer Elgiganten A/S. Full story in comments.

French esports organisation Team Vitality has unveiled a brand-new "FPS Jersey" created in collaboration with gameswear apparel partner Fulllife. The limited-edition kit is custom-designed specifically for the organisation's upcoming appearances at VALORANT Masters London and the IEM Cologne Major 2026 for Counter-Strike 2 (CS2). Vitality's Amelie Canet and Fulllife's Maxime Baziadoly commented on the release. See full coverage at the link in comments.

ASUS has appointed former HyperX executive Kitty Cao as its new Esports Partnerships and Brand Manager. More info in comments.

In 2013, Dota 2 introduced crowdfunding through the Interactive Compendium, a bundle of rewards and polls that let players support the game's esports scene and influence the event. $2.50 from every purchase went to the event, helping launch Dota 2’s record-breaking prize pools.