EWC Representatives Discuss the Future of Women's Esports
Cover: Team Spirit
Representatives of the EWC Foundation shared their vision for the development of women's esports. EWC Foundation's Chief Operating Officer, Mike McCabe, stated their readiness to develop this direction (spelling and punctuation as per the source):
"...As for existing tournaments, we would like to see more events for women directly at EWC. We need to work with game publishers to create channels for these championships to reach a larger stage."
Earlier, the tournament operator Brace For Impact announced a partnership with ESL FACEIT Group. According to this information, Brace For Impact commits to organizing a series of women's tournaments and its own club for players on the FACEIT platform. Online events will be held for players from Europe, North and South America, South Africa, and Oceania. According to the representatives, these championships will help fill the gap left after the closure of the ESL Impact league.
Also, the head of the foundation's gaming division, Fabian Scheuermann, named an important component for the development of the women's direction (spelling and punctuation as per the source):
"If we see that the necessary conditions and tournaments are being created for women, then we will pay more attention to them. Again, it is necessary for all this to appear first without our involvement. If we see growth in this ecosystem, we will be happy to include women's events in the EWC program."
Scheuermann emphasized that it is difficult to develop an ecosystem without strong support from developers and the community. He also noted that the number of women's teams has significantly decreased by 2026, which substantially impacts the discipline.
Indeed, over the past six months, the scene has been left by Ghost Gaming, the Russian organization Flame Sharks, and Ninjas in Pyjamas, which announced the disbandment of its women's team NIP Impact. The main reason was the roster's instability at major events. Also, Alexandra "kyossa" Tychanskaya left the BIG EQUIPA roster.
And in October 2025, the tournament operator ESL announced the closure of the women's league ESL Impact due to a lack of funding and sponsor interest. Competitions under the ESL Impact League were held since 2022 and were aimed at promoting women's Counter-Strike.
But that same fall, the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) published a report emphasizing the importance of supporting women's esports.