ExitLag, created to help enhance internet connections and reduce latency through its multi-path technology, announced it has partnered with TALON, one of the most prominent esports organisations in the APAC region. As part of this collaboration, ExitLag will become an official sponsor of TALON Esports, supporting their teams competing in League of Legends (Taiwan), Valorant (South Korea), Dota 2 (Philippines) and ROV (Thailand).

With this partnership, ExitLag reinforces its commitment to supporting top-tier esports teams and players by optimising their connectivity and ensuring a smoother, lag-free competitive experience. Talon Esports has established a formidable reputation as a dominant force in competitive gaming across the APAC region. By sponsoring TALON, ExitLag strengthens its expansion into the Asian gaming market, ensuring that professional and amateur gamers alike have access to superior network performance.

“Esports is built on the foundation of precision, speed, skill, and seamless gameplay. At ExitLag, we are dedicated to providing competitive gamers with the best possible connection to compete at their highest level. Partnering with TALON Esports allows us to further our mission of eliminating connectivity barriers and enhancing the performance and experience of top esports players competing across multiple titles globally,” said Lucas Stolze, CEO of ExitLag.

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ExitLag’s proprietary multi-path technology optimises data routing in real-time, reducing lag, packet loss and jitter to deliver the most stable gaming experience possible. Through this partnership, ExitLag will work closely with TALON’s teams across various titles, ensuring that their players can focus entirely on performance without network limitations.

“We’re thrilled to welcome ExitLag as a partner. In professional esports, every millisecond matters. ExitLag’s cutting-edge technology will provide our players a crucial competitive edge, ensuring they can perform at their peak without worrying about connectivity issues,” said Sean Zhang, CEO of TALON Esports.

As ExitLag continues its rapid growth in the Asia-Pacific region, this partnership underscores its dedication to empowering esports athletes with world-class network solutions. Fans can look forward to exciting activations, exclusive content, and engagement opportunities as ExitLag and TALON Esports work together throughout the season.

“As we expand our footprint in Asia, partnering with TALON Esports is a testament to our dedication to providing the best connectivity solutions for competitive gamers in the region. We are excited to work closely with TALON’s teams and help elevate their performance to new heights,” said Josh Wong, Asia Market Lead of ExitLag.

Today, Team Vitality is excited to announce the arrival of VALORANT players Clément “CyvOph” Millard and Ștefan “Sayonara” Mîtcu the club’s elite roster.

French player CyvOph will join the VALORANT roster from Mandatory with immediate effect, while Sayonara has been loaned to DVM in the French VRL – French Challengers League.

20-year-old Frenchman Clément “CyvOph” Millard has officially joined Team Vitality’s VALORANT roster. CyvOph, formerly of Mandatory, is one of France’s top up-and-coming talents, with a plethora of French tournament wins under his belt, including the VALORANT Open Tour France 2022: Stage 2.

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“CyvOph is an extremely motivated player that has shown great potential when working with the team.” says Daniel “Faded” Hwang, Head coach of Team Vitality’s VALORANT team. “His natural connection with the team and willingness to grow makes him the perfect fit.”

In addition to the signing of CyvOph, Team Vitality has also signed Moldovan prodigy Ștefan “Sayonara” Mîtcu on a pre-contract. Sayonara joins from DVM, and has been loaned back to the French organisation to further his development in the VALORANT scene. Regarded as one of Europe’s top prospects, Sayonara was named Stage MVP during the VALORANT Challengers 2025 France: Revolution Stage 1 semi-final earlier this year. He has also featured for Fnatic in numerous off-season tournaments, such as Red Bull Home Ground and the Riot Games ONE PRO INVITATIONAL 2024.

With the additions of CyvOph and Sayonara, Team Vitality has strengthened its position as one of Europe’s top VALORANT teams, following their VCT 2025: EMEA Kickoff win, and top-four finish at VALORANT Masters: Bangkok. The team will consist of Saif “Sayf” Jibraeel, Kimmie “Kicks” Laasner, Felipe “Less” de Loyola Basso, Nikita “Derke” Sirmitev, and Clément “CyvOph” Millard.

“We’re thrilled about the new additions to our VALORANT roster,” says Fabien “Neo” Divide, President of Team Vitality. “Securing one of France’s top talents in CyvOph reinforces our identity as one of the world’s leading organizations and with Sayonara joining, our roster is stronger than ever. Their skill, dedication, and synergy with the team put us in a great position for the challenges ahead. We can’t wait to see them in action and for our fans to support us on this journey.”

With CyvOph’s addition to the team, Nikita “trexx” Cherednichenko will move to the inactive roster.

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The new-look roster will be first seen at the VCT 2025: EMEA Stage 1 – Group Stage, beginning on March 26, 2025.

The Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) announced the top 40 esports Clubs that have been accepted into the EWCF Club Partner Programme, an industry-leading initiative designed to promote the sustainable growth of esports organidations. The $20 million programme offers participating Clubs up to $1 million in funding to expand their brand and grow their global audience through innovative content and marketing campaigns leading up to and throughout the Esports World Cup 2025.

Since 2023, the EWCF has supported esports Clubs with a carefully aligned funding model that contributes to the Club Partner Programme members’ financial stability and brand growth. To achieve this, the 2025 Programme will focus on fueling global fan growth across all borders and games through impactful storytelling and creative campaigns.

Leveraging EWCF support, the 40 Partner Clubs, reaching over 300 million fans, will drive global growth by creating compelling experiences and content that deepen their connection with fans worldwide, including behind-the-scenes production, player documentaries and live fan experiences that excite their communities. The 2025 programme offers modular funding for campaigns that engage fans, tell EWC-related stories and enable Club-driven innovation.

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“The EWCF Club Partner Program is a cornerstone of our mission to build a sustainable future for esports Clubs worldwide while creating opportunities for organizations from some of the world’s fastest-growing markets. This year’s 40 partnered Clubs represent a diverse and dynamic cross-section of global esports, spanning legacy organizations, rising stars and global powerhouses that collectively define the rich history and the rapidly evolving future of the industry. By investing in their growth, the program will enable Clubs to expand their audience and reach, strengthen their brands, and gain greater visibility through fan-first content, shaping the future of esports as a global sport and mainstream entertainment,” said Faisal Bin Homran, Chief Product Officer at the Esports World Cup Foundation.

With this year’s focus on high-growth regions, the 2025 EWCF Club Partner Programme represents a truly global roster, including six Clubs from China, alongside additions from rapidly expanding markets like Japan, India and LATAM. The full lineup of Clubs, in alphabetic order: 100 Thieves, All Gamers, Bilibili Gaming, Cloud9, Edward Gaming, EVOS, FaZe Clan, Fnatic, FURIA, G2 Esports, Gaimin Gladiators, Gen.G, Gentle Mates, HEROIC, JD Gaming, Karmine Corp., Movistar KOI, LEVIATAN, LOUD, MOUZ, NAVI, NIP.eStar, ONIC, POWR, REJECT, S8UL, Sentinels, T1, Team BDS, Team Falcons, Team Liquid, Team RRQ, Team Secret, Team Spirit, Team Vitality, Twisted Minds, Virtus.pro, Weibo Gaming, Wolves Esports, ZETA DIVISION.

The 2025 Club Programme applications in China were supported by Tencent E-Sports, who have facilitated the process for 20 Clubs that have applied. Six Clubs were selected, including All Gamers, Bilibili Gaming, Edward Gaming, JD Gaming, Weibo Gaming and Wolves Esports—China’s most dominant teams, engaging over 125 million Chinese fans through gaming, entertainment and lifestyle content. Additionally, eStar, as part of NIP, has also been added to the lineup, further serving the expansion of the Club Partner Programme in China and activating Chinese fans.

All Clubs were selected through a rigorous evaluation process that reviewed nearly 200 applications. This included assessing their competitive track record in the Club Championship in 2024, their potential across multiple games, social media presence, fan engagement and their strategic plans for activating their global esports audience. Eight Clubs received direct invitations based on their EWC 2024 Club Championship ranking, while the remaining spots were allocated through an open application process. Nineteen Clubs joined for the first time, and 21 returned from the inaugural year.

“Esports is evolving faster than ever, and the EWCF Club Partner Program is driving that evolution by giving Clubs the tools to grow, engage fans, and compete at the highest level. EWC 2024 was a defining moment for us—winning points in five games, two podium finishes, and securing a top-four finish at the Club Championship. The scale and energy of the event proved just how influential esports has become. We’re proud to be part of the program again, fueled by the enthusiasm of French fans who continue to support and inspire us as we look to elevate our game, win as many tournaments as possible, and carry Team Vitality’s colours high on the biggest stage in esports,” said Fabien “Neo” Devide, Chairman and co-founder of Team Vitality.

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“As one of the fastest growing esports organizations in North America, we are delighted to join the EWCF Club Partner Program. Continuing the momentum of our success in 2024, including a major win in VALORANT and significant growth across our social channels reaching millions of fans in North America and beyond, the addition of VALORANT to the Esports World Cup is the perfect time for us to become an official partner and deliver new and exciting content to an even wider audience,” said Rob Moore, CEO of Sentinels.

“Since Day One, All Gamers has chased esports glory—pushing non-stop for over 20 years. With years of hard work from our teams, we’ve scored big wins in top games and trained legends in the scene. Competing at the 2024 EWC against the world’s best, that fire burns bright. Now joining EWCF’s Club Partner Program, here’s our hope: When fans worldwide see Chinese esports through AG, they won’t just recall epic comebacks, but our crew’s unstoppable spirit—cutting through challenges like a blade. That combination of grit and grace—that’s China’s gift to the global esports race,” said Le Kedeng, Chairman of All Gamers.

Membership in the EWCF Club Partner Programme is subject to annual renewal in line with the Programme’s requirements, reflecting the dynamic nature of the esports industry. A Club’s participation in the programme does not guarantee a spot at the Esports World Cup 2025. All Clubs are required to qualify through official qualification pathways to earn their spot in each game’s EWC tournament.