ESL FACEIT Group announces Kick partnership, here’s what we know

Khizar Mundia Published 15/04/2026

ESL FACEIT Group and Kick have signed a partnership that will allow the platform to distribute and broadcast select official CS2 and Dota 2 tournaments.

Esports broadcasting rights are an important element for major streaming platforms, as popular tournaments draw millions of viewers. The esports broadcasting network is substantially fragmented as no one platform holds exclusive rights for major tournaments. Kick has been trying to get into the esports scene for some time by signing esports players and having a presence at major events. ESL has now signed an agreement with Kick, making the platform an official distributor for select ESL content.

How the ESL x Kick partnership works

With Kick recently celebrating 100m users, the key element of the partnership means that it can non-exclusively broadcast English-language ESL Tier 1 CS2 and Dota 2 events, including major tournaments such as IEM, ESL Pro League, and ESL One. These events will also be broadcast on Twitch and YouTube, according to ESL’s multi-platform distribution.

Image credit: ESL, Kick

The ESL Challenger League is different, as it will be broadcast exclusively on Kick. This means that Kick is not replacing other platforms and will share broadcast rights for almost all events, with Challenger League being the exception. While unconfirmed officially, some reports suggest ESL may increase Kick’s exclusivity if things work out.

When does this partnership get activated?

Kick’s ESL partnership is already active, and the platform will broadcast 2026 ESL events. IEM Rio 2026 is the first ESL event that Kick will broadcast, starting April 17, alongside Twitch and YouTube, as part of ESL’s multi-platform approach.

This partnership isn’t for a single event, and future ESL CS2 and Dota 2 events will be watchable on Kick. Tier 1 events will continue to be streamed across Kick, Twitch, and YouTube, while the Challenger League will be broadcast exclusively on Kick.

What is the ESL Challenger League?

The ESL Challenger League is a tier 2 CS2 tournament that is positioned below the ESL Pro League. The tournament acts as a pathway for the best CS2 teams to qualify for high-tier events. It’s played across multiple regions, including North America, Europe, and Asia. It’s typically held in a seasonal format, with two seasons in a year. Each season holds four events, and the league is one of the more important CS2 circuits, as qualifying teams get prize money and also the opportunity to compete in the ESL Pro League.

Feature image credit: ESL Kick partnership

Khizar Mundia

About Khizar Mundia

Khizar Mundia has been playing video games for as long as he can recall. Things have come a long way since the many days he spent playing the original NES, though. He now covers a variety of competitive games and esports, as well as the world of streaming, ranging from Twitch to Kick. If it’s of interest to gamers, it’s of interest to Khizar.

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