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| (Image Source: UMG Gaming/eSports Awards) |
The eSports Awards, the most prestigious night in eSports is officially making its way to the vibrant, sun-soaked city of Miami, Florida, this coming November 2026 for an unforgettable celebration with the industry's biggest stars, creators and teams coming together for an evening of world-class entertainment, iconic moments, and the ultimate recognition of eSports excellence. The first wave of finalists have also been revealed, unveiled live during the official Spotlight Show hosted by eSports royalty Soe Gshcwind, Phil “EE” Visu, James “Dash” Patterson and Lottie Van-Praag, setting the stage for an unforgettable celebration of the industry's very best.
The nominees featured a mix of rising stars and returning legends including Darren "iShowSpeed" Jason Watkins Jr., re-nominated for Streamer of the Year, and Animesh "Thug" Agarwal for eSports Personality of the Year, back in the running to defend their legacy. Here is the first wave of categories and finalists for the 2026 eSports Awards.
eSports Game of the Year
Apex Legends
Call of Duty
Counter-Strike 2
DOTA 2
Fortnite
Honor of Kings
League of Legends
Mobile Legends: Bang Bang
PUBG Mobile
Rainbow Six Siege
Rocket League
VALORANT
eSports Mobile Game of the Year
Brawl Stars
Free Fire
Honor of Kings
Identity V
Mobile Legends: Bang Bang
PUBG Mobile
eSports Personality of the Year
Animesh "Thug" Agarwal
Anthony "Shotzzy" Cuevas-Castro
Cody "Clix" Conrod
Corentin "Gotaga" Houssein
Eefje "Sjokz" Depoortere
Ibai "Ibai" Llanos Garatea
Jake "Boaster" Howlett
Kamel "Kameto" Kebir
Lee "Faker" Sang-hyeok
Marc "Caedrel" Robert Lamont
Nicholas "Jynxzi" Stewart
Sven Magnus "Magnus Carlsen" Øen Carlsen
Streamer of the Year
Brittany "Cinna" Lynn Watts
Case "CaseOh" Baker
Darren "iShowSpeed" Jason Watkins Jr.
Jason "JasonTheWeen" Thanh Nguyen
Kai "Kai Cenat" Carlo Cenat III
Marc "Caedrel" Robert Lamont
Mark "OhnePixel" Zimmermann
Nicholas "Jynxzi" Stewart
Raj "Snax Gaming" Varma
Rani "StableRonaldo" Netz
Victor "Coringa" Augusto Costa Camilo
TheBurntPeanut
eSports Content Group of the Year
100 Thieves
G2 eSports
Gentle Mates
GodLike eSports
Karmine Corp
NRG
OpTic Gaming
Rocket Baguette
S8UL eSports
T1
Team Spirit
Team Vitality
eSports Content Creator of the Year
Arran "TacticalRab" Francis
Corentin "Gotaga" Houssein
Donato "TheDonato" Muñoz
Jack "NiceWigg" Martin
Juan "Hungrybox" Manuel DeBiedma
Marc "Caedrel" Robert Lamont
Nicholas "Jynxzi" Stewart
Óscar "mixwell" Cañellas
Pujan "FNS" Mehta
Thomas "ZooMaa" Paparatto
Tyson "Tenz" Van Ngo
eSports Commercial Partner of the Year
Blacklyte
Chipotle
Coinbase
Intel
iQOO
Logitech G
Monster Energy
Pulsar
Razer
Red Bull
Sony INZONE
eSports Tournament Organizer of the Year
Activision Blizzard
BLAST
EFG
eSports Foundation (EWC + ENC)
EVO
Hero eSports
MOONTON Games
Riot Games
TiMi Studio Group
eSports Supporting Service of the Year
Character Select Agency
ESG Law
eSports Charts
FACEIT
GRID eSports
JAM Management
Liquipedia
Odin Law and Media
Prodigy Agency
Shikenso Analytics
The Story Mob
“The eSports Awards remains dedicated to highlighting the remarkable achievements in gaming and eSports. After a fantastic 2025 edition in Las Vegas, we are thrilled to be bringing our flagship ceremony to sunny Miami for the first time, the ultimate stage for a world-class celebration combining luxury, culture, and unrivalled entertainment. Together with our key partners Oakley and the eSports World Cup, we are setting the stage for an extraordinary evening. We are looking forward to reuniting the global eSports community this November to honour the passion and brilliance which continues to drive our fantastic industry forward,” said eSports Awards CEO Michael Ashford. “We are thrilled to welcome the eSports Awards to Greater Miami and Miami Beach for the first time. As one of the world's premier destinations for international events, Miami offers the perfect blend of world-class hospitality, vibrant culture, cutting-edge entertainment and global connectivity. The eSports community embodies innovation, creativity and passion - qualities that reflect the spirit of our destination. We look forward to welcoming competitors, creators, industry leaders and fans from around the world for what promises to be an unforgettable celebration,” said Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau President and CEO David Whitaker. To add an extra layer of excitement to this year’s race to the podium, fans can make their votes count twice as much during Turbo Week, running on November 3-10, 2026, where every vote submitted carries double the weight in the final push.
Voting has officially opened and fans can cast their votes at www.esportsawards.com/vote from now until November 10, 2026. While the exact venue is yet to be announced, fans are encouraged to stay tuned for further details. As one of the world's premier destinations for entertainment and culture, Miami will provide the perfect stage for what promises to be the grandest celebration of eSports yet.
