Global Esports Streaming Market to Reach $5.24 Billion by 2031 as 5G, Media Rights and Multi-Platform Viewing Accelerate Growth

Tencent, Amazon, Alphabet, Microsoft, and Sony Group Dominate the Landscape

Dublin, Aug. 18, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The “ESports Streaming – Market Share Analysis, Industry Trends & Statistics, Growth Forecasts (2026-2031)” has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com’s offering.

The global esports streaming market is projected to grow from USD 1.89 billion in 2025 and USD 2.29 billion in 2026 to USD 5.24 billion by 2031. The market is expected to register a compound annual growth rate of 17.97% between 2026 and 2031, supported by low-latency connectivity, premium broadcast agreements, creator-led distribution and expanding mobile audiences.

Report Scope

• Streaming platforms: Twitch, YouTube Gaming, Facebook Gaming, Huya, DouYu, Kick and other platforms

• Device types: Smartphones and tablets, smart TVs, laptops and desktops, gaming consoles and other devices

• Game genres: MOBA, first-person shooter, battle royale, sports and racing, fighting and other genres

• Geographies: North America, South America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East and Africa

5G and Fiber Networks Strengthen Mobile Esports Streaming

Advances in 5G and fiber connectivity are improving broadcast quality and expanding access to esports content, particularly in mobile-first markets. Veloce Media Group’s 2026 GSMA Open Gateway submission established a benchmark of sub-10 millisecond latency and zero-jitter connectivity for broadcast-grade mobile esports viewing. Deutsche Telekom also introduced its 5G+ Gaming service with NVIDIA GeForce NOW in late 2025, using L4S and network slicing to support low-latency smartphone gaming across Europe.

Network infrastructure played a significant role at the Esports World Cup 2025, where stc deployed 27 advanced 5G towers and more than 1,295 antennas while maintaining 99.9% network availability. Continued infrastructure investment across Asia-Pacific, the Middle East and other mobile-led regions is expected to increase viewing frequency and strengthen subscription, advertising and commerce opportunities.

Premium Media Rights Reshape Platform Competition

Esports media rights are becoming increasingly structured and valuable. Riot Games secured a five-year exclusive agreement with Naver and SOOP for League of Legends Champions Korea coverage from 2026 through 2030. The agreement removes live LCK content from YouTube in Korea and is expected to influence domestic viewing behavior.

DAZN’s decision to stream the Esports World Cup 2026 globally at no cost demonstrates growing interest from established sports media platforms. France Televisions also obtained exclusive domestic rights for the event, expanding its visibility across French television and digital streaming channels. These developments are increasing competition for premium esports inventory and creating additional content acquisition costs for streaming platforms.

Sponsorship remains an important revenue source, although cyclical advertising conditions can affect monetization. As a result, esports streaming companies are expanding subscriptions, shoppable media, platform integrations and direct-to-consumer commerce. Other factors assessed in the report include franchise league monetization, structured tournament calendars, government investment in esports infrastructure, fragmented intellectual property rights and publisher control.

Platform and Segment Analysis

Twitch held 39.14% of the esports streaming market in 2025, retaining the leading position despite increasing competition and changing creator distribution strategies. Kick is forecast to be the fastest-growing platform segment, recording an 18.02% CAGR through 2031. By April 10, 2026, Kick had reached 100 million registered users. The platform generated 1.27 billion hours watched during the first quarter of 2026, representing year-over-year growth of 65.35%.

Riot Games expanded distribution through Kick for League of Legends, VALORANT and Teamfight Tactics beginning with MSI 2026, targeting audiences in Europe, the Middle East and South America. YouTube Gaming remains the second-largest platform, while Huya and DouYu continue to distribute esports content through broader social and messaging ecosystems. Multi-platform viewing, co-streaming and creator portability are expected to remain central competitive factors.

Regional Esports Streaming Market Outlook

Asia-Pacific accounted for 41.59% of global market value in 2025, making it the largest regional segment. Growth is supported by China’s extensive gaming ecosystem, South Korea’s established esports industry and expanding mobile gaming participation in India and Southeast Asia. In January 2026, Tencent Esports and the Olympic Council of Asia established a 10-year strategic partnership, with Tencent named the organization’s official esports technology partner.

Japan’s esports sector reached JPY 16.1 billion, equivalent to approximately USD 106.4 million, in 2024. Streaming and merchandise recorded the strongest category growth, and the market is projected to surpass JPY 20 billion, or approximately USD 136.05 million, by 2026.

North America is forecast to be the fastest-growing regional market, with a 19.38% CAGR through 2031. The region is benefiting from media rights development, creator-led broadcasting and commerce integration. A three-year collaboration between the Esports World Cup Foundation and Amazon connects Twitch, Prime Video, Alexa and Wondery. Amazon Ads also introduced Twitch’s first shoppable in-stream activation with e.l.f. Cosmetics in October 2025.

The Middle East is emerging as a major esports investment and event-hosting center. The Esports World Cup Foundation announced a USD 75 million prize pool for its 2026 tournament. Its 2025 event in Riyadh attracted 750 million viewers and generated 350 million hours watched across 28 platforms, 97 broadcast partners and more than 800 channels in 35 languages. Europe remains supported by organized tournaments and national broadcast agreements, while South America and Africa offer growth opportunities through local creators, mobile connectivity and developing event ecosystems.

Key Topics Covered

1 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Study Assumptions and Market Definition
1.2 Scope of the Study

2 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

4 MARKET LANDSCAPE
4.1 Market Overview
4.2 Impact of Macroeconomic Factors on the Market
4.3 Market Drivers
4.3.1 Rising 5G and Fiber Penetration Enabling Low-Latency Mobile Viewing
4.3.2 Expansion of Media Rights and Premium Broadcast Deals
4.3.3 Franchise League Monetization and Structured Tournament Calendars
4.3.4 Government Backing for Esports Arenas and Digital Infrastructure
4.3.5 AI-Powered Personalized Viewing and Training Experiences
4.3.6 Saudi-Led Mega Prize Pools Expanding Global Event Circuits
4.4 Market Restraints
4.4.1 Sponsorship Spend Compression in Cyclical Ad Markets
4.4.2 Fragmented Intellectual Property Rights and Publisher Control
4.4.3 Player Salary Inflation and Talent Retention Pressure
4.4.4 Regulatory Scrutiny on Loot Boxes, Gambling, and Youth Access
4.5 Industry Value Chain Analysis
4.6 Regulatory Landscape
4.7 Technological Outlook
4.8 Porter’s Five Forces Analysis
4.8.1 Threat of New Entrants
4.8.2 Bargaining Power of Buyers
4.8.3 Bargaining Power of Suppliers
4.8.4 Threat of Substitutes
4.8.5 Intensity of Competitive Rivalry

5 MARKET SIZE AND GROWTH FORECASTS (VALUE)
5.1 By Streaming Platform
5.1.1 Twitch
5.1.2 YouTube Gaming
5.1.3 Facebook Gaming
5.1.4 Huya
5.1.5 DouYu
5.1.6 Kick
5.1.7 Other Streaming Platforms
5.2 By Device Type
5.2.1 Smartphones and Tablets
5.2.2 Smart TVs
5.2.3 Laptops and Desktops
5.2.4 Gaming Consoles
5.2.5 Other Device Types
5.3 By Game Genre
5.3.1 MOBA
5.3.2 First-Person Shooter
5.3.3 Battle Royale
5.3.4 Sports and Racing
5.3.5 Fighting
5.3.6 Other Game Genres
5.4 By Geography
5.4.1 North America
5.4.1.1 United States
5.4.1.2 Canada
5.4.1.3 Mexico
5.4.2 South America
5.4.2.1 Brazil
5.4.2.2 Argentina
5.4.2.3 Chile
5.4.2.4 Rest of South America
5.4.3 Europe
5.4.3.1 Germany
5.4.3.2 United Kingdom
5.4.3.3 France
5.4.3.4 Italy
5.4.3.5 Spain
5.4.3.6 Rest of Europe
5.4.4 Asia-Pacific
5.4.4.1 China
5.4.4.2 Japan
5.4.4.3 India
5.4.4.4 South Korea
5.4.4.5 Australia
5.4.4.6 Rest of Asia-Pacific
5.4.5 Middle East
5.4.5.1 Saudi Arabia
5.4.5.2 United Arab Emirates
5.4.5.3 Qatar
5.4.5.4 Rest of Middle East
5.4.6 Africa
5.4.6.1 South Africa
5.4.6.2 Egypt
5.4.6.3 Nigeria
5.4.6.4 Rest of Africa

6 COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
6.1 Market Concentration
6.2 Strategic Moves
6.3 Market Share Analysis
6.4 Company Profiles (includes Global Level Overview, Market Level Overview, Core Segments, Financials as available, Strategic Information, Market Rank/Share, Products and Services, Recent Developments)
6.4.1 Tencent Holdings Limited
6.4.2 Amazon.com, Inc.
6.4.3 Alphabet Inc.
6.4.4 Microsoft Corporation
6.4.5 Sony Group Corporation
6.4.6 Activision Blizzard, Inc.
6.4.7 Electronic Arts Inc.
6.4.8 Epic Games, Inc.
6.4.9 Valve Corporation
6.4.10 Riot Games, Inc.
6.4.11 Huya Inc.
6.4.12 DouYu International Holdings Limited
6.4.13 Soop Co., Ltd.
6.4.14 ESL FACEIT Group
6.4.15 G2 Esports GmbH
6.4.16 Fnatic Ltd.
6.4.17 Cloud9 Esports, Inc.
6.4.18 Team Liquid Enterprises B.V.
6.4.19 100 Thieves LLC
6.4.20 Krafton, Inc.

7 MARKET OPPORTUNITIES AND FUTURE OUTLOOK
7.1 White-Space and Unmet-Need Assessment

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