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In the realm of esports, raw viewership data can show where audiences gathered, but it may not paint the full picture of which events offered the most significant commercial opportunities for sponsors. During the first half of 2026, the Media Value ranking was dominated by well-established PC esports ecosystems, primarily led by Counter-Strike and League of Legends, which accounted for the majority of the top 10 spots.
Top esports events by Media Value in H1 2026
Esports Charts’ Media Value estimation calculates the cost of a 1% on-screen banner placement throughout an event, considering factors like viewership, broadcast exposure, and regional advertising rates. This metric serves as a comparative tool for sponsors to gauge the value of their investment, rather than a direct revenue figure or confirmed sponsorship expenditure. To learn more about this metric, click here.
The top 10 events collectively generated over $203 million in estimated Media Value. League of Legends took the lead in total value, with four events accumulating approximately $92 million, closely followed by Counter-Strike with four events totaling slightly less. Valorant also made its mark with two international Masters events, amassing nearly $25.9 million.
The Media Value ranking showcased a more focused landscape compared to the broader viewership leaderboard for the first half of the year. Counter-Strike and League of Legends dominated the top 10 positions, underscoring the strong correlation between premium sponsorship exposure and mature PC esports ecosystems.
Despite being some of the most-watched esports events in the first half of 2026, major tournaments like Mobile Legends: Bang Bang did not secure a spot in the Media Value top 10. This observation highlights how factors such as audience demographics, broadcast duration, advertising market rates, and exposure format can elevate a smaller PC event above a larger mobile-first tournament in terms of sponsorship value.
Assessing esports sponsorship exposure with Esports Charts
The rankings for the first half of 2026 shed light on the disparity between audience size and the commercial significance of events. Esports Charts’ Media Value provides a tool to compare events across different games, regions, and formats by estimating the value of visible on-screen sponsorship opportunities.
Utilize the Media Value Calculator to gauge the baseline sponsorship worth of an event, or delve into Esports Charts’ data solutions for in-depth analysis spanning platforms, languages, regions, and broadcast styles.
Commercial Exposure Ranking of H1 2026 Tournaments
| Rank | Tournament | Game | Media Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | IEM Cologne Major 2026 | CS2 | $44.89M |
| 2 | LCK 2026 Season | LoL | $35.14M |
| 3 | LCK Cup 2026 | LoL | $25.79M |
| 4 | LEC 2026 Versus | LoL | $17.68M |
| 5 | IEM Krakow 2026 | CS2 | $16.99M |
| 6 | LEC 2026 Spring | LoL | $14.03M |
| 7 | Valorant Masters Santiago 2026 | Valorant | $13.18M |
| 8 | Valorant Masters London 2026 | Valorant | $12.69M |
| 9 | BLAST Open Spring 2026 | CS2 | $11.77M |
| 10 | ESL Pro League Season 23 | CS2 | $10.86M |