Esports Awards 2026 Heads to Miami as Public Voting Opens

The Esports Awards will head to Miami, Florida for its 2026 ceremony, marking the first time the annual event will be hosted in the city after last year's edition in Las Vegas. Alongside the venue announcement, organizers have also revealed the first wave of finalists across several industry categories, with public voting now officially underway.

Held in partnership with the Esports World Cup Foundation and Oakley, this year's ceremony will once again recognize the players, teams, tournament organizers, brands, and companies that have helped shape the esports industry over the past year. The event is scheduled to take place in November, with fans able to vote until November 10.

Miami Set to Welcome the Global Esports Industry

The 2026 Esports Awards will bring together esports organizations, content creators, executives, and commercial partners in Miami with support from the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau. The move continues the awards show's tradition of rotating host cities while expanding its presence across major entertainment destinations in the United States.

Alongside the location announcement, organizers unveiled nominees across several business-focused categories that recognize the companies operating behind the scenes of the esports industry.

Among the finalists for Esports Commercial Partner of the Year are Blacklyte, Chipotle, Coinbase, Intel, Logitech G, Monster Energy, Pulsar, Razer, Red Bull, Sony INZONE, and iQOO.

The Esports Tournament Organiser of the Year category includes Activision Blizzard, BLAST, ESL FACEIT Group, the Esports Foundation, EVO, Hero Esports, MOONTON Games, Riot Games, and TiMi Studio Group.

Meanwhile, companies such as Esports Charts, GRID Esports, FACEIT, Liquipedia, Shikenso Analytics, and The Story Mob are among the nominees for Esports Supporting Service of the Year, while organizations including T1, Team Vitality, G2 Esports, Team Spirit, 100 Thieves, NRG, OpTic Gaming, and S8UL Esports headline the shortlist for Esports Content Group of the Year.

Public Voting Includes Double-Value Turbo Week

Public voting for the awards is now open and will remain available until November 10. To encourage greater community participation leading up to the ceremony, organizers will once again introduce Turbo Week, running from November 3 to November 10.

During that period, every public vote will count twice toward the final results, giving fans additional influence over the outcome of selected categories before winners are announced in Miami.

The Esports Awards has increasingly emphasized fan participation alongside industry voting, with Turbo Week becoming one of the event's signature initiatives in recent years.

Organizers Look Ahead to Miami Debut

Esports Awards CEO Michael Ashford said bringing the ceremony to Miami represents another step in the event's continued growth.

"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."

The host city also welcomed the announcement.

David Whitaker, President and CEO of the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau, said the city is looking forward to hosting the global esports community.

"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."

The venue announcement follows another significant commercial development for the awards program. Earlier this month, GameSquare Holdings entered into a partnership with MEGA Advanced Ltd., the parent company of the Esports Awards, to oversee sponsorship sales and commercial partnerships for both the Esports Awards and The Mobies. The agreement is expected to further expand the events' commercial reach as preparations continue for this year's ceremony in Miami.

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