International Esports Federation#World Esports Championship
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2023}}
{{Short description|Global esports organization}}
{{Infobox organization
| name = International Esports Federation
| image = Logo of the International Esports Federation.png
| image_border =
| size =
| alt =
| caption = Logo
| map = IESF member nations.svg
| msize =
| malt = Map of member and associate nations
| mcaption = {{legend|#1A4066|Member nations per April 2024}}
| abbreviation = IESF
| formation = {{Start date and years ago|2008|08|11}}
| extinction =
| type = Sports federation
| status =
| purpose =
| headquarters = Busan, South Korea
| location =
| coords =
| region_served =
| membership =
| language = English
| leader_title = President
| leader_name = Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan Al Saud
| main_organ = General Assembly
| parent_organization =
| affiliations =
| num_staff =
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| website = https://iesf.org
| remarks =
}}
The International Esports Federation (IESF) is a global organization based in South Korea whose mission it is to have esports recognized as a legitimate sport.
Members
As of July 2024, there are 146 member states of the IESF, including:{{cite web |title=Members of IESF |url=https://iesf.org/members |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240427164552/https://iesf.org/members/ |archive-date=April 27, 2024 |url-status=live |access-date=April 6, 2022 |website=iesf.org }}
;Africa Electronic Sport Association (30)
{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
- {{flag|Algeria}}
- {{flag|Benin}}
- {{flag|Burkina Faso}}
- {{flag|Cameroon}}
- {{flag|Chad}}
- {{flag|Congo}}
- {{flag|Djibouti}}
- {{flag|DR Congo}}
- {{flag|Egypt}}
- {{flag|Eswatini}}
- {{flag|Gambia}}
- {{flag|Ghana}}
- {{flag|Guinea}}
- {{flag|Ivory Coast}}
- {{flag|Kenya}}
- {{flag|Libya}}
- {{flag|Madagascar}}
- {{flag|Mali}}
- {{flag|Mauritania}}
- {{flag|Mauritius}}
- {{flag|Morocco}}
- {{flag|Namibia}}
- {{flag|Niger}}
- {{flag|Nigeria}}
- {{flag|Senegal}}
- {{flag|Somalia}}
- {{flag|South Africa}}
- {{flag|South Sudan}}
- {{flag|Tunisia}}
- {{flag|Zimbabwe}}
{{div col end}}
;Pan American Electronic Sports Confederation (24)
{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
- {{flag|Argentina}}
- {{flag|Bahamas}}
- {{flag|Bolivia}}
- {{flag|Brazil}}
- {{flag|Canada}}
- {{flag|Chile}}
- {{flag|Colombia}}
- {{flag|Costa Rica}}
- {{flag|Cuba}}
- {{flag|Dominican Republic}}
- {{flag|Ecuador}}
- {{flag|Guadeloupe}}
- {{flag|Guatemala}}
- {{flag|Haiti}}
- {{flag|Honduras}}
- {{flag|Jamaica}}
- {{flag|Mexico}}
- {{flag|Panama}}
- {{flag|Peru}}
- {{flag|Suriname}}
- {{flag|Trinidad and Tobago}}
- {{flag|United States}}
- {{flag|Uruguay}}
- {{Flag|Venezuela}}
{{div col end}}
;Asian Electronic Sports Federation (42)
{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
- {{flag|Afghanistan|2013}}
- {{Flag|Bahrain}}
- {{flag|Bangladesh}}
- {{flag|Bhutan}}
- {{flag|Brunei}}
- {{Flag|Cambodia}}
- {{flag|China}}
- {{Flag|Chinese Taipei}}
- {{flag|Hong Kong}}
- {{flag|India}}
- {{flag|Indonesia}}
- {{flag|Iran}}
- {{Flag|Iraq}}
- {{flag|Japan}}
- {{flag|Jordan}}
- {{flag|Kazakhstan}}
- {{flag|Kuwait}}
- {{flag|Kyrgyzstan}}
- {{Flag|Laos}}
- {{flag|Lebanon}}
- {{flag|Macau}}
- {{flag|Malaysia}}
- {{flag|Maldives}}
- {{flag|Mongolia}}
- {{flag|Myanmar}}
- {{flag|Nepal}}
- {{flag|Oman}}
- {{flag|Pakistan}}
- {{flag|Palestine}}
- {{flag|Philippines}}
- {{flag|Qatar}}
- {{flag|Saudi Arabia}}
- {{flag|South Korea}}
- {{flag|Sri Lanka}}
- {{flag|Syria}}
- {{flag|Tajikistan}}
- {{flag|Thailand}}
- {{flag|Timor Leste}}
- {{flag|Turkmenistan}}
- {{flag|United Arab Emirates}}
- {{flag|Uzbekistan}}
- {{flag|Vietnam}}
{{div col end}}
;European Esports Federation (47)
{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
- {{flag|Albania}}
- {{flag|Armenia}}
- {{flag|Austria}}
- {{flag|Azerbaijan}}
- {{flag|Belarus}}
- {{flag|Belgium}}
- {{flag|Bosnia and Herzegovina}}
- {{flag|Bulgaria}}
- {{flag|Croatia}}
- {{flag|Czech Republic}}
- {{flag|Denmark}}
- {{Flag|Estonia}}
- {{flag|Finland}}
- {{flag|France}}
- {{flag|Georgia}}
- {{flag|Germany}}
- {{flag|Gibraltar}}
- {{flag|Greece}}
- {{Flag|Hungary}}
- {{flag|Iceland}}
- {{flag|Ireland}}
- {{flag|Israel}}
- {{flag|Italy}}
- {{flag|Kosovo}}
- {{flag|Latvia}}
- {{flag|Lithuania}}
- {{flag|Luxembourg}}
- {{flag|Malta}}
- {{flag|Moldova}}
- {{flag|Monaco}}
- {{flag|Montenegro}}
- {{flag|Netherlands}}
- {{flag|North Macedonia}}
- {{flag|Norway}}
- {{flag|Poland}}
- {{flag|Portugal}}
- {{flag|Romania}}
- {{flag|Russia}}
- {{flag|San Marino}}
- {{flag|Serbia}}
- {{flag|Slovakia}}
- {{flag|Slovenia}}
- {{flag|Spain}}
- {{flag|Sweden}}
- {{flag|Switzerland}}
- {{flag|Turkey}}
- {{flag|Ukraine}}
- {{Flag|Wales}}
{{div col end}}
;Oceania (3)
- {{flag|Australia}}
- {{flag|Guam}}
- {{flag|New Zealand}}
History
The International Esports Federation (IeSF) was established on August 8, 2008, by nine esports{{Cite web |date=2008-08-11 |title=세계 최초 ‘국제e스포츠연맹’ 발족 |url=https://m.sports.naver.com/general/article/236/0000007520 |access-date=2025-04-14 |website=sports.naver |language=ko}} associations from Denmark, South Korea, Germany, Austria, Belgium, The Netherlands, Switzerland, Vietnam, and Taiwan. In November of the same year, the organization held its inaugural general meeting.{{Cite news |date=2008-11-13 |title=김신배 SKT사장 국제e스포츠연맹 초대 회장 선출 |url=https://www.fnnews.com/news/200811131720498490 |work=파이낸셜 뉴스 |language=ko}}
A year later, on December 12, 2009, the IeSF hosted its first international tournaments. These tournaments included the "IeSF Challenge" in 2009, followed by the "IeSF Grand Finals" in 2010, and the "IeSF World Championship" starting from 2011 and onward.{{cite web|url=http://ie-sf.com/en/about/history.php|title=IeSF|author=leSF|access-date=September 2, 2015|archive-date=January 5, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150105182055/http://www.ie-sf.com/en/about/history.php|url-status=dead}}
In 2012, IeSF introduced the first-ever esports tournament for women during the IeSF 2012 World Championship.{{Cite web |date=2012-11-12 |title=[Interview] Female Tekken Champion of IeSF 2012 WC Sofia Degay |url=https://iesf.org/interview-female-tekken-champion-of-iesf-2012-wc-sofia-degay/ |website=iesf}}
On July 7, 2013, IeSF was chosen as the representative for the electronic sports discipline at the 4th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games, marking the first time esports had a presence in an Olympic event.{{cite web|url=http://ie-sf.com/bbs/board.php?bo_table=iesf_news&wr_id=29|title=media > IeSF News > [IeSF News] Updates on 4th Asian Indoor & Martial Arts Games and IeSF 2013 Asia Conference|author=leSF|access-date=September 2, 2015|archive-date=September 17, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150917045959/http://ie-sf.com/bbs/board.php?bo_table=iesf_news&wr_id=29|url-status=dead}}
In May 2013, IeSF gain recognition as the official signatory of the World Anti-Doping Agency within the branch of esports.{{cite web|url=http://www.wada-ama.org/en/Anti-Doping-Community/IFs/List-of-IFs/|title=Anti-Doping Community|work=World Anti-Doping Agency|access-date=September 2, 2015|archive-date=July 13, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140713172305/http://wada-ama.org/en/Anti-Doping-Community/IFs/List-of-IFs/|url-status=dead}}
In July 2013, IeSF submitted an application to join Sport Accord, with expectations of becoming a temporary member in April 2014.{{cite web|url=http://ie-sf.com/bbs/board.php?bo_table=iesf_news&wr_id=34|title=media > IeSF News > [IeSF News] IeSF submitted its membership application to "Sport Accord"|author=leSF|access-date=September 2, 2015|archive-date=September 17, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150917052506/http://ie-sf.com/bbs/board.php?bo_table=iesf_news&wr_id=34|url-status=dead}}
In November 2013, the IeSF hosted the IeSF 2013 World Championship and the 2013 General Meeting in Bucharest, Romania, a significant departure from their usual South Korea location.{{cn|date=October 2023}}
In May 2014, the IeSF was granted membership by TAFISA and announced its participation in the 2016 TAFISA World Games for All, to be held in Jakarta.{{cite web|title=IeSF, 국제체육기구 가맹 "e스포츠도 생활체육"| date=May 9, 2014 |url=http://www.thisisgame.com/webzine/news/nboard/4/?n=54703|access-date=May 28, 2014}}
In 2014, IeSF initially implemented gender-based restrictions in the Hearthstone tournament, but later amended its policy to merge the sections into open-for-all tournaments while still maintaining female-only tournaments with smaller prize pools.{{cite web|url=http://www.polygon.com/2014/7/3/5867015/international-esports-federation-reverses-gender-segregation-policy|title=Previously male-only Hearthstone competition now open to all genders|author=Jenna Pitcher|work=Polygon|date=July 3, 2014 |access-date=September 2, 2015}}
During the 2015 World Championship, an esports panel was hosted with international sports society representatives to discuss the potential recognition of esports as a legitimate sporting activity worldwide.{{cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTEk0bh0GUQ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211220/QTEk0bh0GUQ |archive-date=December 20, 2021 |url-status=live|title=[2015 IESF] e-Sports Summit with International Sports Society -EsportsTV |date=December 3, 2015 |via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}
In July 2016, Macau became the 56th member nation of the IESF.{{cite web |date=2016-10-14 |title=Macau impresses in international eSports debut |url=https://wgm8.com/macau-impresses-international-esports-debut/ |website=World Gaming Magazine}}
In 2018, IESF voted to accept the United States Esports Federation (USEF) as a full member, establishing USEF as the officially recognized national governing body for esports in the United States.{{cite news |last1=Mackay |first1=D. |title=International eSports Federation Accepts United States as Latest Member |url=https://thesportdigest.com/2018/11/international-esports-federation-accepts-united-states-as-latest-member/ |work=The Sports Digest |date=August 12, 2019}}
In a bid to expand into the Middle East, the IeSF signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the UAE's Motivate Media Group, the parent company of "Gulf Business," as the esports community in the Middle East continued to grow, with over 300 million gamers in the region.{{cite news |last1=Mansoor |first1=Zainab |title=International Esports Federation to expand into the Middle East |url=https://gulfbusiness.com/international-esports-federation-expand-middle-east/ |work=GulfBusiness.com |date=November 14, 2019}}
The IeSF expanded further with the inclusion of new member federations, such as Colombia's Federación Colombiana de Deportes Electrónicos (FEDECOLDE), Kazakhstan's Qazaq Cybersport Federation (QCF), Turkey's Turkish Esports Federation (TESFED), and Ukraine's Federation of E-Sport of Ukraine (UESF), bringing the total member count to 60, spanning six continents.{{Cite web |date=2020-03-25 |title=Four new nations join IESF |url=https://iesf.org/four-new-nations-join-iesf/}}
In October 2023, IESF appointed Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan Al Saud, a member of the Saudi Arabian royal family, as its president.{{cite news |last1=Nordland |first1=Jake |title=IESF appoints Saudi Arabia’s Prince Faisal as President |url=https://esportsinsider.com/2023/10/iesf-saudiprince-faisal-president |access-date=October 25, 2023 |work=Esports Insider |date=October 3, 2023}}
In 2024, the International Esports Federation received a record number of bids from over 30 cities across six continents to host the 2025 and 2026 World Esports Championship and Regional Qualifiers. IESF is reviewing the bids based on criteria such as sustainability and inclusivity. General Secretary Boban Totovski noted the rapid growth of IESF events and the significant value they bring to host nations. The 2024 World Esports Championship took place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, solidifying the city’s growing prominence as a key center for global esports.{{Cite web |last=Shaw |first=Justin |date=2024-10-07 |title=IESF Receives Record Number of Bids for 2025 and 2026 Events |url=https://www.sportstravelmagazine.com/iesf-receives-record-number-of-bids-for-2025-and-2026-events/ |access-date=2024-10-08 |website=SportsTravel |language=en-US}}
= World Esports Championships =
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://globalesports.org Global Esports Federation]
- [https://www.iesf.org International Esports Federation]
{{Esports competitions}}
Category:International sports organizations
Category:Esports governing bodies
Category:Sports organizations established in 2008