North America's top EA FC circuit just handed its entire competitive pipeline to one of esports' biggest operators.
EFG takes over the 2026 eMLS Cup
ESL FACEIT Group is the official operations partner for the 2026 eMLS Cup.
EFG handles everything from club selection through the championship.
Finals take place at EFG's headquarters in Columbus, Ohio.
Adam Apicella called the studio a stage these players deserve.
eMLS feeds into a bigger EA FC ecosystem
The eMLS Cup serves as a qualifier for the EA FC Pro World Championship.
EA's 2026 strategy features twenty league partners worldwide.
Premier League, La Liga, and Bundesliga are all part of the lineup.
Combined prize money across that global pathway tops $1,000,000.
Why this deal...
Middle Eastern geopolitical tensions are rattling the esports calendar, but Riyadh's two flagship tournaments say they are not budging.
EWC and ENC stay on schedule for Riyadh
Esports World Cup Foundation confirmed both events remain on track.
Military escalations in Iran and Gulf drone incidents raised concerns.
Regional airspace disruptions hit several international events this week.
Safety contingency plans are active, but the specifics stayed undisclosed.
EWCF's stance on backup scenarios
Relocating or rescheduling is not currently on the table.
Contingency protocols were built with local authorities and partners.
Operational security details are being kept confidential.
Stakeholders will get updates if conditions shift.
What...
A Dutch recruitment giant just locked in its second straight year staffing one of Europe's biggest League of Legends live events.
Randstad France backs Karmine Corp again
Randstad France is the official recruiter for Karmine Corp's LEC Spring Roadtrip 2026.
Their partnership originally kicked off in 2025.
Financial details of the arrangement stayed private.
Randstad, founded in the Netherlands in 1960, operates globally.
What the staffing gig actually covers
Temporary workers get sourced, assigned, and coordinated by Randstad.
Hosts, production assistants, and event crew all fall under this.
Some staff handle ticket scanning and fan entry.
Others support broadcast teams or manage arena crowds.
LEC Spring Roadtrip 2026 details
Les...
A 140-person studio is hosting Brazil's first international League of Legends tournament in nearly a decade, and fans are absolutely losing it.
Riot's tiny São Paulo venue sparks rage
First Stand 2026 lands at the Riot Games Arena, capping attendance at 140.
Brazil last hosted an international LoL event back in 2017.
Gen.G's CEO Arnold Hur said his wedding had more guests.
Fans argue the country deserves way bigger stages.
Brazil's esports track record speaks volumes
Rio Major 2022 and IEM Rio 2024 packed Farmasi Arena.
Rainbow Six Invitational filled the Ibirapuera Gymnasium in 2024.
Riot's VALORANT LOCK//IN crammed that same gym in 2023.
Wedding-sized venues feel insulting given that history.
CBLOL viewership numbers are wild...
Fuel prices just spiked overnight in Zimbabwe, but the government insists a three-month supply cushion keeps actual shortages off the table.
ZERA hikes petrol and diesel prices
Diesel jumped to US$1.77 per litre from US$1.52, and petrol climbed to US$1.71 from US$1.56, effective 4 March 2026.
ZERA pinned the increases on Middle East tensions, driving global oil costs higher.
Prices could have hit US$1.90 per litre without a government subsidy absorbing part of the blow.
New rates hold for two weeks while ZERA keeps tabs on market shifts.
Three months of fuel stocks confirmed
Acting Energy Minister Dr Zhemu Soda told the National Assembly that storage facilities are fully stocked.
His detailed parliamentary report confirmed enough...
A US$367 million health package just died because Zimbabwe's government called it a sovereignty threat, and Washington says that claim is completely baseless.
US denies mineral-grab motives behind aid deal
A senior US official rejected accusations that the collapsed US$367 million health agreement was secretly targeting Zimbabwe's lithium and platinum reserves.
Negotiations were strictly about public health, with zero provisions touching critical minerals at any point.
Zimbabwean negotiators spent weeks in technical discussions without flagging a single political objection.
Washington got blindsided when Harare suddenly pulled the plug with no stated reason.
Mnangagwa personally killed the agreement
President Emmerson Mnangagwa...
A perfect tournament record and R3.5 million in stacked bonuses have South Africa looking like the team to beat heading into the knockout rounds.
Proteas stay unbeaten after beating Zimbabwe
South Africa's cricket squad toppled Zimbabwe by five wickets on Sunday, keeping their flawless T20 World Cup run intact.
Every Proteas player banked a US$31,194 match bonus from that single win.
R3.5 million in total bonuses has piled up across victories over Canada, Afghanistan, New Zealand, UAE, India, West Indies, and Zimbabwe.
Bigger payouts are dangling if they can push through the semis and lift the trophy.
Semi-final clash with New Zealand looms
Eden Gardens in Kolkata hosts the Wednesday showdown against New Zealand.
Aiden Markram, the...
A fatal forehead shot in broad daylight only landed a five-year effective sentence for a mine supervisor who was already wanted by immigration authorities.
Yang Zhian gets five years for killing Pardon Gumbo
Yang Zhian, a 37-year-old Chinese mining supervisor at Long Fortune Mine in Collen Bawn, was convicted of culpable homicide for fatally shooting 31-year-old Pardon Gumbo.
Gumbo took a bullet to the forehead and died at Gwanda Provincial Hospital.
Justice Chivhayo handed down eight years but suspended three, leaving Zhian with five behind bars.
Prosecutors had pushed for 15 years, arguing that firearms cases involving foreign nationals demand a strong message.
Illegal status and firearm access raise questions
Zhian was in...
Over 25 tourism businesses just got padlocked because operating without a license finally caught real consequences in Zimbabwe.
ZTA cracks down on unlicensed operators
Zimbabwe Tourism Authority shuttered hotels, lodges, restaurants, and even Airbnb-style rentals on Tuesday.
ZTA boss George Manyaya framed it as cleaning house for both tourists and locals.
Licensing fees got slashed to US$150 for restaurants and US$100 for fast-food spots.
Some operators had already started paying up before the closures hit.
Gweru leads the shutdown count
Gweru took the biggest hit, with nine establishments forced to close.
Marondera followed at five, and Mutare lost four operations.
Masvingo, Bulawayo, and Harare each saw three spots get shut down...
