“ESL reveals final Annual Club Incentive 2025 standings” 

“ESL reveals final Annual Club Incentive 2025 standings” 

---

ESL Wraps Up 2025 with Final Annual Club Incentive Standings

ESL FACEIT Group (ESL) has released the final ranked standings for its 2025 “Annual Club Incentive” program following the conclusion of IEM Chengdu 2025. The incentive pool totals US $2,950,000, and payment of the top-16 clubs is scheduled for Q1 2026. 

What is the Annual Club Incentive?

The Annual Club Incentive is a non-exclusive rewards system designed by ESL to remunerate esports organisations based on their participation in the ESL Pro Tour ecosystem, their viewership impact, and promotional activities tied to ESL events. 
Specifically, clubs earn points according to:

• Attendance at eligible ESL events,

• Average concurrent viewership (ACV) during group-stage broadcasts (data sourced via Esports Charts),

• An event multiplier that favours consistent attendance across events.

Final Standings & Key Results

After IEM Chengdu — the last major ESL-Pro event of the year — the final standings were confirmed: 

Highlighted top organisations:

• Team Falcons secured the top spot with 74.5 viewership points, having attended 7 events, achieving a share of 13.8 % of the top-16 points pool and earning approximately $407,422.

• The MongolZ came in second with 54 points, 7 events attended, 10 % share, and a prize of about $295,313.

• FURIA placed third with 60 points, six events, 9.5 % share, cashing in around $281,250.

• Natus Vincere (Na’Vi) claimed fourth place with 59.5 points (six events), also earning roughly 9.5 % of the pool, about $278,906.

• Team Vitality were fifth with 48 points, seven events attended and an 8.9 % share.

In total, 42 clubs were ranked across the full program; the top sixteen figure into the payout structure. 
Additionally, the viewership chart from IEM Chengdu’s group stage gives insight into how clubs performed in that final event:

• Team Spirit — 209,650 average CCV → 12 viewership points

• The MongolZ — 177,856 → 12 points

• Falcons — 167,216 → 12 points

• MOUZ — 151,048 → 12 points

• FURIA — 147,275 → 9 points

• Astralis — 145,514 → 9 points

• Natus Vincere — 103,881 → 9 points

• PaiN Gaming — 103,596 → 9 points

• Heroic — 94,721 → 6 points

• Team Vitality — 93,543 → 6 points

• G2 Esports — 92,771 → 6 points

• TYLOO — 87,971 → 6 points
  The remaining squads received zero viewership-points for that event. 

Wider Context & Significance

The rollout of this program signals ESL’s evolving focus on acknowledging the commercial and promotional dimension of esports — not purely tournament results. Back in late 2024, ESL detailed how club financial incentives would feature across 2025, noting that certain flagship events (e.g., IEM Katowice, IEM Cologne) would allocate club-shares in the prize-pool (e.g., US $250 000 club share at Katowice). 

Through the Annual Club Incentive, ESL encourages teams to:

• Attend and participate in multiple events,

• Drive high viewership during broadcast group stages,

• Engage in promotional and ecosystem-focused activities (marketing, social media, livestream appearances).

For clubs like Falcons and The MongolZ, whose rapid growth in viewership and event appearances propelled them into the top-tier of the standings, this represents a strategic reward beyond traditional prize-money winnings.

What It Means for 2026

Looking ahead, ESL confirmed the program will continue in 2026, beginning with IEM Kraków 2026 (scheduled to begin January 28). 
Clubs invested in building attendance and audience growth in 2025 may be well-positioned to replicate or improve their standing in the next cycle. It also means that teams now have dual incentives: competitive results and ecosystem / viewership performance.

Implications for Clubs & Industry

This model may have several ripple-effects across the esports landscape:

• Roster Investment & Marketing: Clubs may invest more in streaming/engagement to boost viewership, not just gameplay performance.

• Event Strategy: Attending more ESL Pro Tour events yields advantages in the multiplier and points system; clubs may prioritise consistent participation.

• Commercial Partnerships: Higher payouts tied to viewership may attract sponsors seeking exposure; top clubs may leverage this as part of their valuations.

• Competitive Balance: While traditional tournament prize-money still dominates, the additional club-share creates an added layer of revenue diversification for organisations.

Final Thoughts

The conclusion of the 2025 Annual Club Incentive marks a milestone for the ESL ecosystem — rewarding organisations not only for winning, but for engaging audiences and contributing to the broadcast product. With over $2.9 million allocated just for the top-16 clubs, the program underscores the growing recognition of esports as a media business, not solely a sporting competition.

For 2026 and beyond, clubs that can combine event attendance, marketing reach, and competitive success will likely reap the benefits. As the landscape becomes more multifaceted, the organisations that adapt to this blend of performance and promotion will hold an important edge.