A Connected Future for Global Esports

By Paul J. Foster, KStJH - President & Chief Executive Officer, Global Esports Federation

The end of a year always invites reflection, not just on what we achieved, but on what we learned, what we endured, and what we’re now ready to become. For the Global Esports community, this reflection feels sharper than usual. We’ve lived through a period of rapid evolution, unexpected shifts, and real-world pressures that have reshaped our industry in profound ways.

We’ve also seen how resilient this community truly is.

Across the world, Member Federations, Athletes, Creators, Publishers, and our Partners have continued to build, adapt, and move forward with a sense of purpose that speaks to the heart of esports. Even as some of the largest organizations in our space have stepped back or recalibrated, our community refused to lose momentum. Instead, we found new ways to connect, collaborate, and create.

This is why, as we look ahead, the Global Esports Federation has designated 2026 as the Year of Connection.

Connection is more than a theme. It is the way we choose to grow and move forward.

It is how we rebuild trust, strengthen collaboration, and expand opportunity. It is how we move from challenge into possibility.

Connection means aligning around our values: equality, diversity, fair play, inclusion, and innovation. These principles guide our decisions and shape the ecosystem we want to build, especially as we amplify the many diverse voices across esports.

Connection means reflecting how young people live, compete, and belong. Esports is no longer a parallel world; it is the connective tissue of a new global sporting culture.

Connection means empowering our 180+ Member Federations with clearer pathways, stronger collaboration, and the opportunity to contribute meaningfully to a shared future.

And connection means gathering the world in Los Angeles in December 2026 for a landmark edition of the Global Esports Games - a global stage where innovation, national pride, and human creativity meet in one of the world’s most influential creative capitals, and our Global Esports Creative Campus, with the iconic Los Angeles Times Media Group (LATMG).

The future will demand focus, discipline, and collective effort. As a community, we are still balancing opportunity with reality - ambition with the practicalities of delivery.

I have never felt more confident in the direction we are heading. This is a community rich in creativity, courage, and commitment. The Year of Connection gives us the focus to strengthen our foundations and accelerate our future.

Thank you for walking this journey with us.

In 2026, we rise—together, stronger, and even more, worldconnected.