The Esports Awards is officially coming back for 2026, with the annual ceremony set to take place in North America later this year. Exact dates and a venue haven’t been locked in yet, but the organisers have confirmed that fan-favourite categories, community voting, and the Esports Awards Golf Invitational will all return.
What We Know So Far
The announcement confirms the broad strokes: the 2026 ceremony will be held somewhere in North America, with specifics on the venue, date, nominees, and voting to follow in the coming months. Fans are being pointed to the Esports Awards’ X account as the primary channel for updates.
“The Esports Awards continues to shine a spotlight on the very best in esports and gaming, and we’re pleased to return for 2026,” said Michael Ashford, CEO of the Esports Awards. “Following the success of the Decade Awards and our 10th anniversary celebrations, we look forward to recognising the individuals, teams and moments that defined the past year in esports.”
Returning Categories
The confirmed categories for 2026 include some of the show’s biggest draws:
- Esports Game of the Year
- Esports Personality of the Year
- Streamer of the Year
- Esports Team of the Year
Winners will be decided through a combination of community voting and input from the Esports Awards Panel, a group made up of industry veterans, broadcasters, creators, and players. That dual approach is meant to keep things balanced between public sentiment and expert credibility.
The Golf Invitational Is Back Too
Alongside the main ceremony, the Esports Awards Golf Invitational will return for another year. The event brings together industry leaders, creators, and competitors for a day of networking and competition ahead of the awards show itself. It’s become a fixture of the broader Esports Awards weekend, giving the business side of the industry a more casual setting to connect.
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Last Year’s Milestone Edition
The 2025 ceremony was a landmark one, marking the Esports Awards’ 10th anniversary at the HyperX Arena in Las Vegas. It honoured some of the scene’s biggest names, with Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut, iShowSpeed, and Animesh “Thug” Agarwal among the winners. Six new inductees were also welcomed into the Lifetime Achievement in Esports: Class of 2025 award.
League of Legends took home Esports Game of the Year following a standout stretch of League Worlds events, while Team Vitality claimed Esports Team of the Year off the back of a dominant Counter-Strike run. Mercules picked up Esports Breakthrough Player of the Year after leading OpTic Texas to COD Champs and the top spot at the Esports World Cup, and Riot Games earned Esports Publisher of the Year.
Earlier in the year, the Esports Awards also hosted a one-off Decade Awards ceremony, presented by Trevor “Quickshot” Henry, Jessica “JessGOAT” Bolden, and Barney Banks. That event pulled in 36.25 million live views globally, underlining the growing reach of the awards brand.
Looking Ahead
With the 2025 edition setting new benchmarks in viewership and engagement, the pressure is on for the 2026 show to match or surpass those numbers. The North American setting keeps the ceremony in a region with strong esports infrastructure and audience reach, though exactly where it lands remains to be seen. More details on nominees, voting windows, and the event venue are expected over the coming months.