Fresh Round of Layoffs Hit ESL FACEIT Group

ESL FACEIT Group (EFG), a prominent international tournament organizer and festival company, has implemented a new round of workforce reductions. Approximately 80 to 90 employees were impacted by these cuts, with a significant portion of the affected staff originating from the EMEA division, specifically those involved in managing regional qualifiers for the Esports World Cup. This development follows a period of organizational consolidation for the company, which is a subsidiary of the Saudi Arabian government-owned Savvy Games Group.

The company characterizes these layoffs as a strategic realignment intended to reduce operational complexity and improve long-term sustainability following a period of rapid growth. While acknowledging the difficulty of the decision, leadership indicated that these measures are necessary to streamline operations and focus resources on areas with the highest growth potential. An internal communication from the CEO suggests that this phase of restructuring is complete and that no further staff reductions of this scale are anticipated in the near future.

This event is part of a broader trend of downsizing within the organization, which has undergone multiple rounds of restructuring since the 2022 merger of ESL and FACEIT. Previous actions included a 15% global workforce reduction in early 2024 and specific cuts to the Burbank-based Esports Engine operations in early 2025. Alongside these personnel changes, the company has seen significant executive turnover, including the departure of co-CEO Craig Levine and the transition of longtime executive Rodrigo Samwell to an advisory role. These shifts reflect the ongoing efforts of the organization to stabilize its business model and achieve sustainable profitability.