Hans Jagnow from the Esports Foundation, organizer of the Esports World Cup (EWC) and the Esports Nations Cup (ENC), has gone on record to clarify its role in the Counter-Strike 2 esports ecosystem.
The Director of Clubs, National Teams, and Players at the Esports Foundation said during the Club Partner Program 2026 Online Media Rumble on April 27 that the goal with CS2 at the EWC and ENC is to build something that fits into the existing Counter-Strike ecosystem instead of competing with it.
“…we understand ourselves as additive to the ecosystem. We don’t want to compete with the existing structures, rather [want] to provide more value, to provide more opportunity,” Jagnow said.
Just like the Esports Foundation, Valve sponsors two Majors per year, selecting different tournament organizers to host its pinnacle Counter-Strike 2 esports event every year.
Its next major is the IEM Cologne from June 2 to 21, 2026, which is being hosted by ESL, owned by Saudi Arabia’s Savvy Games Group.
“We’re not interested in competing with what the Counter-Strike community celebrates as a pinnacle every half year, as their Major,” said Jagnow.
The immediate goal for the Esports Foundation, however, revolves around launching a massive standalone CS2 event.
“What we want to add is an S-tier tournament that is well-received by the players as a valuable opportunity in one of the most interesting regions of the world to play great Counter-Strike.”
The EWC is already pushing major changes forward to prove its commitment to the game, adding more slots to the Counter-Strike tournament in 2026.
Expanding the number of slots for the 2026 tournament signals ambition, aiming to attract a broader mix of teams. The goal is to bring together the best players in the world, while also opening doors for more organizations to be part of the experience.
While this makes fans wonder if this massive S-tier event might eventually turn into an official Valve Major, fitting into the annual CS2 calendar, Jagnow did not make any promises.
“That being said, if there is in the future an opportunity and an interest from Valve and the opportunity to host a major in the region, I think this is every tournament organizer’s dream,” he explained.
The EWC fully understands the reality of the business.
“Let’s see what is in the cards,” Jagnow said before clarifying exactly who holds the final say. “But that is not our decision. It is the publisher’s decision.”
Image credit: Esports Foundation
Having said that, Valve’s timeline for TOs to reply to the ‘request for proposal’ (RFP) for hosting CS2 Majors in 2027 and 2028 is already over, with the deadline for applications closed on March 1, 2026.
The publisher is scheduled to make the final decision and announce the Major structure for the upcoming years on June 1, 2026. There is no way of knowing if the EF submitted a proposal, too.
In case it has not, the EF will have to do so for 2029 when Valve announces the next schedule for the RFP process.
The second Valve Major of 2026, hosted by PGL, is scheduled to kick off on November 25, 2026, whereas the final of the ENC will be played on November 15, 2026. This ensures that top players have plenty of time to rest and participate in both.
Featured image credit: Esports Foundation
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