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March witnessed the start of the 2026 esports season in full swing, with all major ecosystems bustling with activity, creating a competitive landscape that captured audience attention. Viewership demand was strong across the board, with two events surpassing the 1 million Peak Viewers mark, one of them significantly exceeding that threshold.
Audience interest was diverse, spread across various segments. Major esports circuits continued to draw consistent attention, while streamer-led competitive events also garnered their share of viewership. Official studio broadcasts further enriched the viewing experience by offering a wide range of content formats, creating a dynamic viewing ecosystem.
The most popular esports tournaments of March 2026
The month’s viewership leaderboard was led by an explosive start in Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, as the 2026 season made a strong impact. The opening week of Indonesia’s flagship MPL league saw a thrilling match between ONIC and RRQ Hoshi, with over 2.2 million concurrent viewers tuning in at its peak. This highlighted the anticipation that had built up during the offseason.
Second place was claimed by League of Legends with its international event, First Stand 2026, reaching around 1.5 million peak viewers. The standout performance by G2 Esports, defeating Korean teams but falling short against China’s Bilibili Gaming in the final, boosted Western interest in the tournament.
Following closely was another Riot Games title, Valorant Masters Santiago 2026, where Nongshim RedForce emerged victorious. The event attracted a global audience, especially from Southeast Asia, falling just short of the one million Peak Viewers mark.
Rounding up the top five were two Counter-Strike tournaments, with BLAST Open Spring 2026 edging out ESL Pro League Season 23. Notably, Team Vitality‘s dominant victory over Natus Vincere drew more viewers than other matchups, showcasing the competitive spirit of these events.
Top 5 esports tournaments of March 2026 (English-speaking segment)
English-speaking audiences largely followed the same events from the overall rankings, except for MPL Indonesia, which had a strong local fanbase. However, the top event in this segment had a unique twist.
One standout event among English-speaking viewers was a CS:GO tournament organized by Nicholas “Jynxzi” Stewart, featuring popular creators from platforms like Twitch, Kick, and YouTube.
The event attracted over 481,000 English-speaking viewers at its peak, surpassing the grand final of First Stand by approximately 50,000 viewers. This highlighted the appeal of creator-driven formats backed by recognizable personalities.
The most popular & most watched esports studio channels of March 2026
Rankings of official studio channels on Twitch and YouTube showcase the diverse esports content consumption landscape. Titles, regions, and broadcast formats compete within the same ecosystem, offering varied audience behaviors across platforms.
On Twitch, the studio focused on Dota 2 coverage by Paragon led in total Hours Watched, while on YouTube, KRAFTON‘s channel featuring Battlegrounds Mobile India topped the charts, catering to the Indian market.
The most-watched Twitch & YouTube official/studio esports channels
The esports media landscape featured a mix of stakeholders, including third-party organizers like BLAST, ESL, and PGL, alongside independent studios like Maincast and OTP LoL. Publisher-operated ecosystems of titles such as Valorant, League of Legends, and Overwatch also drove strong engagement through their official channels.