Disney+ announces expanded partnership with KeSPA to livestream more Korean esports events

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Disney+ announces expanded partnership with KeSPA to livestream more Korean esports events

Published: 06 Apr. 2026, 13:15 Updated: 06 Apr. 2026, 17:28

MICHAEL LEE
[email protected]

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

The logos of Disney+, left, and the Korea e-Sports Association [DISNEY+]

Disney+ will launch a deeper partnership with the Korea e-Sports Association (KeSPA) to bring Korean esports to a wider global audience through livestreaming, the content giant said Monday.

The platform will broadcast a larger range of major esports events in 2026, including the Esports Championships Asia, the League of Legends (LoL) KeSPA Cup and national team matches ahead of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games as part of the new deal.

The move follows Disney+’s exclusive livestream of the 2025 LoL KeSPA Cup and reflects its broader strategy to strengthen fan-driven live content and diversify its entertainment offerings.

As part of the partnership, Disney+ will globally livestream the Esports Championships Asia Jinju 2026, scheduled to take place from April 24 to 26 at Jinju Indoor Gymnasium in South Gyeongsang.

The tournament, which began in 2021 as a competition among Korea, China and Japan, expanded last year to include more Asian countries. This year’s event will feature seven nations: Korea, China, Japan, Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines and Mongolia.

Six official titles will be contested, with K-pop dance game Stepin included as a demonstration event.

Disney+ will exclusively stream competitions between players of four video games — Street Fighter 6, The King of Fighters XV, Tekken 8 and the eFootball series — as well as serving as an official broadcaster for PUBG: Battlegrounds and Eternal Return, providing global coverage of all matches.

Fans are seen at a viewing party for the League of Legends 2025 World Championship Finals at LoL Park Stadium, an e-sports venue in Seoul, as the LoL Worlds Championship finals between T1 and KT takes place in Chengdu on Nov. 9, 2025. [AFP/YONHAP]

ESPN branding will be incorporated into the broadcasts, offering what the company described as an enhanced sports viewing experience.

Disney+ will also exclusively livestream the esports national team send-off ceremony and evaluation matches scheduled later this year in preparation for the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026.

“Building on strong support from viewers at home and abroad, we are pleased to present a broader range of dynamic esports content on Disney+ this year,” said Kim So-yeon, head of The Walt Disney Company Korea and its direct-to-consumer business. “We hope this collaboration will help further promote the value of Korean esports globally and contribute to the growth of the industry.”

BY MICHAEL LEE [[email protected]]