Disney+ Expands Esports Presence with KeSPA Partnership: Asian Games 2026 and Beyond
Disney+ is expanding its presence in the live esports arena through a partnership with the Korea eSports Association (KeSPA). The streaming service will now offer a broader range of major Korean and pan-Asian esports competitions to its global audience. The collaboration kicks off with the Esports Championships Asia Jinju 2026 tournament, featuring national teams from various Asian countries competing in popular titles like Street Fighter 6, Tekken 8, and PUBG Mobile. Viewers can catch the action live on Disney+ with ESPN branding displayed during the broadcast.
The Jinju event serves as a prelude to the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026, where esports will be a full medal sport for the second time in history. The upcoming Asian Games will feature 11 medal events across 13 titles, showcasing the growing significance of esports in the region. Disney+ will also exclusively stream the Korean national team's send-off ceremony and evaluation matches leading up to the Games, as well as the 2026 LoL KeSPA Cup later this year.
With Korea being a prominent hub for esports, Disney+ is capitalizing on the country's thriving esports scene. The League of Legends Champions Korea (LCK) is highly regarded globally, and KeSPA, a government-backed esports federation, is a key player in the industry. Disney+ is currently offering round-by-round replays of the 2025 LoL KeSPA Cup, featuring top teams from the LCK and other regions.
The expanded partnership with KeSPA is part of Disney+'s strategic move to secure live sports rights in the Asia-Pacific region. Following the launch of ESPN on Disney+ in Australia and New Zealand in 2025, the streaming service has been actively pursuing sports content to attract viewers. In addition to esports, Disney+ has also ventured into scripted Korean programming to cater to diverse audience preferences.
In a similar vein, Netflix has been actively pursuing sports and live events to expand its presence in Asia's evolving streaming landscape. The recent exclusive broadcast of the 2026 World Baseball Classic in Japan by Netflix garnered significant viewership, highlighting the growing interest in sports content among streaming audiences. As competition intensifies in the streaming market, both Disney+ and Netflix are vying for a larger share of the Asian audience through strategic content offerings and partnerships.