On the 27th, the Esports Foundation (EF) held an online media session with representatives from clubs participating in the Club Partner Program (CPP). The session was organized to introduce 'CPP 2026'—a $20 million initiative supporting 40 major clubs worldwide—and to discuss the future development of the global esports ecosystem. Attendees included Hans Jagnow, EF’s Director of Clubs, National Teams, and Player Relations; T1 COO Ahn Woong-ki; Gen.G CEO Arnold Hur; and All Gamers (AG) COO Eddie Chen.

T1 COO Ahn Woong-ki: "We Will Reach a $1 Billion Valuation Through Multi-Game Expansion and the 'Faker' Aura"

T1 COO Ahn Woong-ki acknowledged that the team's performance in the Esports World Cup (EWC) over the past two years fell short of expectations, stating that they plan to benchmark the success formulas of Falcons and Team Liquid this year. "If the last two years were a sort of testing period, we will now focus on the game titles where we are strongest to achieve higher rankings," Ahn pledged.

Ahn particularly emphasized the global influence of T1's Lee 'Faker' Sang-hyeok. "The aura of Faker, an icon of esports, transcends the boundaries of the industry," he said. "Our role is to leverage Faker to draw the attention of the general public—even those unfamiliar with esports—to the EWC."

Regarding T1's recent return to profitability, Ahn spoke highly of the CPP's role. "Thanks to the EF, we were able to expand our team portfolio beyond 'League of Legends' into other titles," he said. "This has helped potential sponsors and investors recognize T1 as a more complete gaming organization." Based on this, he set a goal of reaching a $1 billion valuation—five times the current level—and expressed hope that other Korean clubs, including Gen.G, would also generate profits to foster a mutually beneficial ecosystem.

He also identified the Vietnamese market as a key strategy for expanding their global fandom. "I cannot forget the hospitality I received from thousands of fans during my visit last December," Ahn said, adding that the team plans to engage with fans through various initiatives, such as launching region-specific merchandise. Finally, he noted that "EF's support has become a solid anchor, allowing us to consider new games like Counter-Strike and Dota," and expressed his commitment to contributing to the entire ecosystem.

Gen.G CEO Arnold Hur: "Just as Spring Follows Winter, a New Era of Partnership Will Begin"

Gen.G CEO Arnold Hur emphasized that the esports industry is at a major turning point, stating, "Just as spring follows winter." He predicted that the era of franchising has ended and the era of partnership has begun, noting that survival will depend on a model where a small number of strong teams with robust business structures work closely with publishers, rather than simply focusing on the number of teams.

Defining Gen.G's business identity, he described the organization as evolving beyond a simple gaming team into an 'education platform,' a media company, and a consumer goods brand. "The CPP is not a catalyst to turn unprofitable teams into profitable ones, but a role that accelerates the growth of core business models that are already working successfully," Hur said, framing the CPP as a strategic asset that supports the team's sustainability.

Regarding global expansion, he cited the publisher's commitment as the top priority. "We currently operate 13 teams, and when expanding into new titles, we evaluate the publisher's willingness to nurture the esports scene long-term and the potential for world-class competition," he explained. He added that, based on their experience in Korea, they have strengthened their global capabilities to the point where they now have more teams overseas than in Korea.

On the topic of fandom culture, he cited LeBron James in traditional sports, analyzing the star-player-centric fandom phenomenon as a "natural trend." He stated, "The EWC will be a phenomenal stage where the best players from different titles meet and interact," adding that they plan to broaden their reach to global fans through media content and short-form marketing that highlights player interactions.

AG COO Eddie Chen: "Participating in 80% of EWC Titles... Expanding Global Merchandise"

Eddie Chen, COO of China's All Gamers (AG), expressed his ambition for global expansion. "While we have a history in China, we are newcomers in the global market," Chen explained. "We have overcome the difficulties we faced in recruiting players due to a lack of brand awareness by participating in the EWC and engaging in global marketing."

This year, AG aims to participate in approximately 80% of all EWC titles, focusing on their strong games such as 'Honor of Kings' and 'CrossFire.' "Like the special edition panda doll that was very popular last year, we are preparing limited-edition souvenirs this year, and we plan to attend a local game show in early May to scout promising talent in Vietnam," Chen said.

EF Director Hans Jagnow: "Supporting Esports Ecosystem Self-Reliance and Growth in Emerging Markets"

EF Director Hans Jagnow detailed the key achievements and future blueprint of the Club Partner Program (CPP) during the session.

The CPP, which involves 40 major clubs worldwide, has secured a global fan base of over 300 million and recorded 300 million views for related campaign content as of 2025. To date, the EF has invested over $100 million to support the club program and the overall ecosystem, facilitating the production of over 350 pieces of club content and driving fan engagement.

The goal is to go beyond simple revenue sharing and develop the ecosystem under 'joint responsibility' between the clubs and the foundation. In particular, the EF plans to use the EWC as a global anchor point to raise professional and performance standards in esports worldwide, and to build a continuous storytelling environment where fans can follow the clubs' journeys year-round.

Competition is fierce, with 175 to 200 clubs applying each year, and the EF carefully selects those that offer the best value propositions and ideas. Through an annual renewal system, slots are allocated to 'active partners' who dynamically compete and prove their value, rather than to stagnant franchises.

The EF plans to balance regional representation by increasing investment in emerging markets such as Latin America (LATAM), India, and Türkiye, which have high potential but require support, in addition to markets where infrastructure is already established. Furthermore, the EF intends to prioritize support for clubs that are committed to their respective game ecosystems year-round, rather than those that only temporarily lease players during the EWC, to ensure the fundamental stability and sustainability of the industry.

Meanwhile, the 'Road to EWC,' the Korean regional qualifier for the '2026 Esports World Cup (EWC)' League of Legends category, will be held every Monday and Tuesday from May 4 to May 26. A total of four LCK teams will compete in the EWC main event. With Gen.G Esports qualifying directly as last year's champions and the 1st seed team from the '2026 Mid-Season Invitational (MSI)' already confirmed, fierce competition is expected for the remaining two tickets.

Nine LCK teams, excluding Gen.G, will participate in the 'Road to EWC' to battle for the two remaining main event spots. The tournament will be seeded based on the 2026 LCK Round 1 standings, starting with a play-in match between the 8th and 9th place teams, and will follow a best-of-three double-elimination format. However, the final two matches, which determine the main event spots, will be best-of-five. If a team that passes the qualifiers wins the MSI 1st seed and qualifies directly for the EWC, the remaining spot will be passed to the team that lost in the loser's bracket final.