- The agenda is now complete for this year’s Global Esports Industry Week in Cologne, Germany
- The 75+ speakers include major names such as Ralf Reichert (Esports Foundation), Perla Bloom (Expedia), Rawan Albutairi (Saudi Esports Federation), Ajay Jilka (Moonton), Atila Yesildag (KRAFTON), Sam Turkbas (EA), Kristelle Lavallee (Discord), Niccolo Maisto (EFG), Celsa Wu (ZOWIE) and many more
- Part of GEIW is the Esports Leaders Honours awards ceremony for which shortlisted nominees include the likes of EA, Logitech G, Magnus Carlsen & Team Liquid, ESL FACEIT Group and DHL, Team Vitality, Nescafe, Stake, BLAST, the Esports Foundation, ZOWIE, and more. Winners will be revealed on the 19th June!
The agenda for this year’s Global Esports Industry Week (GEIW), is now locked and loaded.
The event, organised by The Esports Radar and the Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC), with ESL FACEIT Group (EFG) as Host Partner runs alongside the iconic Counter-Strike tournament IEM Cologne. The main industry days are at the Hyatt Regency Cologne across Thursday 18th to Friday 19th June, with 400+ expected in attendance. There are plenty more socials and activities too including dinners, a padel tournament and social, and more.
Among the agenda’s many highlights here are a few to give it a flavour;
- Coming Up Next: EWC and ENC 2026 – The Boldest Year Yet? [GEIW Opening Session]
- Moderator: Sam Cooke – CEO, Insights Group (TER)
- Speaker: Ralf Reichert – CEO, Esports Foundation
- Sustainability in Global Esports: Publishers, Platforms & Fan Engagement
- Moderator: Zeynep Dechelotte , The Krakenhaus
- Speakers
- Shane Clarke – Managing Director, Runestone
- Ajay Jilka – Head of Esports (Mobile Legends), MOONTON
- Atila Yesildag – Director of Esports (EMEA & Americas), KRAFTON
- Brian Krämer – Director of Product ENC, Esports Foundation
- The EA Esports Ecosystem in 2026
- Moderator: Alexandra Hobbs, dmg media
- Speaker: Sam Turkbas – Senior Director of Esports Product, EA
- The Future of Youth in Esports: Safety, Belonging, and Opportunity
- Moderator: Dr. Tobias Scholz
- Speaker: Kristelle Lavallee – Global Teen Policy Manager, Discord
- Emerging Markets, Opportunities & Esports Investment in 2026
- Moderator: Loren Gold, Greater Raleigh Convention & Visitors Bureau
- Speakers
- Akshat Rathee – Managing Director, NODWIN
- Matthieu Dallon – Founding Partner, Trust Esport
- David Harris – Managing Director, Guinevere Capital
- Beyond the Game: What Non-Endemic Brands Are Really Looking For
- Moderator: Alfie Wright, Playmakers
- Speaker: Perla Bloom – Global Strategy, Expedia
Sam Cooke, CEO of The Insights Group (The Esports Radar), said: “We’re really happy with this year’s line up for GEIW, we’ve some excellent speakers from different regions and different areas who’ll be able to ensure the event provides multiple perspectives and great insights, from Expedia’s learnings in sports sponsorship activations, to where the likes of NODWIN, Guinevere and Trust Esport see emerging market and investment opportunities, and the CEO of the Esports Foundation, Ralf Reichert providing a look ahead to EWC in Paris, and the first Esports Nations Cup later in the year. It’s a stacked agenda and an even more stacked attendee list, so we hope to see you there!”
Stephen Hanna, CEO of the Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC), said: “The Global Esports Industry Week is about bringing the right people into the room to tackle the opportunities and responsibilities shaping our industry’s future. For ESIC, integrity is about building trust, protecting participants, and supporting sustainable growth across the global esports ecosystem. With leaders from publishers, teams, brands, technology providers, regulators and communities coming together in Cologne, GEIW 2026 provides an important platform for collaboration, shared standards and practical progress.”
Amongst the 400+ attendees gathering at the Global Esports Industry Week 2026 include the likes of the Esports Foundation, MOONTON, ZOWIE (BenQ), ESL FACEIT Group, game, DHL, Expedia, Ubisoft, Radisson Hotel Group, Electronic Arts (EA), Logitech G, KRAFTON, Video Games Europe, WIPO, G2 Esports, OverActive Media, Oracle Red Bull Racing, NODWIN Gaming, BLAST, ALHI, Porsche, Polymarket, The Story Mob, Team Vitality, FURIA, Team Falcons, Method, SkinClub, the Portuguese Football Federation, OMNIC.AI, Savvy Games, BWT Alpine Formula One Team, adidas and many more.
Runestone, the esports technology company, data and integrity infrastructure provider, is the Title Partner of Global Esports Industry Week 2026. Runestone provides end-to-end infrastructure for real-time data collection and distribution, advanced integrity monitoring, and enhanced fan engagement through data-driven experiences. More recent milestones include its appointment as Official Data Partner for PGL’s Cluj-Napoca 2026 event, alongside partnerships with StarLadder and the Roman Imperium Cup.
The GEIW 2026 Programme [18th-21st June 2026]
GEIW 2026 will feature a range of events across 18th-21st June as follows. Please see the event website for specific timings.
- IMPACT Live – Conference, Networking & Coffee Lounge & Expo – 18th-19th June [Hyatt Regency – Accessible To All]
- Featuring ESIC Global Esports Summit and IMPACT Live GameDev & Edu Tracks, plus Networking Coffee Lounge & Expo – Open across both days, a place for meetings, to work, eat, drink and socialise
- Esports Leaders Cologne – 18th June [Hyatt Regency – By Invitation Only]
- IGET Expert Workshop – 18th June [Hyatt Regency – By Invitation Only]
- Esports Leaders Honours – 19th June [Hyatt Regency & Cologne City Hall – By Invitation Only]
- Padel Gaming Club – 20th June [The Cube Padel Carlswerk – Registration Required]
- IEM Cologne Major – 18-21st June [LANXESS Arena – Ticketed Separately]
Partners
GEIW 2026 is supported by a growing network of industry partners, reflecting the collaborative spirit of the event. Confirmed partners include:
- Runestone – Title Partner
- ESL FACEIT Group (EFG) – Host Partner
- ZOWIE | Abios – Supporting Partners
- Visit Raleigh – Destination Partner
- The Story Mob – Communications Partner
- Get In- Social Media Partner
- ESBD | yellow house | WIPO | – Strategic Partners
Disclaimer: The Global Esports Industry Week is an initiative with participation of The Esports Radar, part of The Insights Group.
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