ESL just gave Kick a bigger role in CS2 and Dota 2 broadcasts

ESL announced a new streaming deal with Kick on April 14, giving the platform a larger place in its Counter-Strike 2 and Dota 2 coverage. The agreement begins with IEM Rio 2026 and makes ESL Challenger League the one major ESL series that will stream exclusively on Kick.

Per ESL’s announcement, the ESL Pro Tour will start appearing on Kick with IEM Rio 2026, where 16 teams will compete for a $1 million CS2 prize pool. ESL said future broadcasts such as IEMs, ESL Pro Leagues, and some Dota 2 events will stream in English on ESL’s Kick channel, while YouTube and Twitch will remain part of the mix for most events.

The Challenger League move is the bigger change. ESL Challenger League, which was formerly known as Mountain Dew League, sits on the ESEA ladder as a route toward ESL Pro League. Its Cups and regional finals will now move to Kick only, giving the platform exclusive rights to one of ESL’s key tier-2 circuits.

That means fans who follow ECL will need to head to Kick for those matches, while the flagship Pro Tour keeps its existing wider spread of broadcasts. If the rollout lands well, the deal could become an even bigger part of ESL’s streaming plans down the line.

IEM Rio 2026 is already shaping up as a major stop for CS2 viewers, and the new Kick stream gives ESL one more place to reach them. Share your thoughts in the comments, and follow us on X, Bluesky, YouTube, Instagram.