Esports Global, a company that focuses on early-stage opportunities in the esports sector, has acquired National Student Esports (NSE),
Alongside announcing the acquisition, Esports Global has appointed the British Esports Federation (British Esports) to manage the UK university esports body going forward.
The move brings together two of the country’s largest student esports organisations to create one of Europe’s biggest providers of tournaments and education initiatives. According to the announcement, NSE’s British University Esports Championship (BUEC) and community programmes will continue as normal, with all staff now working in partnership with British Esports.
Founded in 2017 by Benchmark and backed by British Universities & Colleges Sport (BUCS), NSE claims to have hosted more than 17,800 players from 2,200 teams across 117 universities during the 2024/25 academic year. Its Discord community also reaches over 180,000 student gamers.
British Esports, established in 2016, runs the Student Champs for schools and colleges and operates the National Esports Performance Campus in Sunderland. The latter project offers qualifications such as the Esports BTEC and coaching courses.
Industry Leaders Comment On Deal
Dave Martin, CEO of Esports Global, said the deal “marks a pivotal moment for student esports in the UK.” He also added that combining NSE’s reach with British Esports’ infrastructure “creates a unified pathway from school to university that empowers talent and raises the bar for student esports.”
Alex Coulson, Managing Director of NSE, described British Esports as a “natural partner” that will help “unlock new opportunities and deeper pathways for student talent to rise.”
The acquisition follows the launch of the Esports Global Fund LP, backed by Kuwait’s Alshaya family and targeting $50m (~£39.2m) in investments across esports and gaming. NSE’s acquisition is one of two recent investments by the fund, with another expected to be announced soon.
Esports Global’s leadership includes Chester King, President of the British Esports Federation, alongside Martin, Susanne Chisthi, Dr Melita Moore, and Mark ‘Garvey’ Candella, a former Twitch and AcadArena executive.
Nick Keller, CEO of Benchmark, added: “This deal further enhances the student esports and gaming community and is testament to the strength of NSE built under Benchmark. NSE has positively impacted tens of thousands of students’ lives, nurturing lifelong friendships and life skills.”
The news coincides with the start of the BUEC Winter season and the 2025/26 British Esports Student Champs, signalling a new phase for student esports in the UK.
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