The British Esports Federation has joined forces with National Student Esports (NSE) after the university esports provider was acquired by the new Esports Global fund.
The deal sees Esports Global acquire NSE from Benchmark Group and appoint British Esports to manage the organisation going forward. This move unites the UK’s leading school and college esports body with its university counterpart, creating a unified pathway for student gamers.
NSE, which was formed in 2017 in partnership with British Universities & Colleges Sport (BUCS), runs the British University Esports Championship. In the 2024/25 academic year, the competition involved 17,800 players from 117 universities. British Esports’ own Student Champs competition for schools and colleges featured over 5,200 students in the same period.
The acquisition is one of the first investments made by the new Esports Global Fund LP, which is backed by the Alshaya family and is targeting $50m in investments across the industry. All existing NSE staff will now work with British Esports, and the British University Esports Championship will continue as normal.
Dave Martin, CEO of Esports Global, said, “I’m so excited to announce this acquisition, which marks a pivotal moment for student esports in the UK. By facilitating the acquisition of NSE, and combining its reach and expertise with British Esports’ infrastructure and resources, we’re creating a unified pathway from school to college to university that empowers talent and raises the bar for student esports in our region.”
Alex Coulson, NSE Managing Director, added, “This deal is testament to the hard work of the NSE team and the strength of the university esports community and societies across the UK. British Esports is a natural partner for us, and this partnership will unlock new opportunities, deeper pathways, and a more sustainable foundation for student talent to rise.”
Chester King, President of the British Esports Federation, said, “This partnership with NSE is a landmark moment for British Esports and for students across the UK. By combining our expertise, resources and shared vision, we can deliver an even stronger pathway for young people, from grassroots to the global stage. We look forward to working with the NSE team to achieve some brilliant things in the future.”
