NSE and British Esports join forces to form one of Europe’s biggest student esports providers

Darragh Harbinson, Senior Editor

Last Updated: 06/11/2025

Esports Global has today announced the acquisition of NSE (National Student Esports), and has appointed the British Esports Federation to run the UK university esports provider going forward.

This move brings together two of the biggest providers of student tournaments and esports education initiatives in the UK and Europe to form a new epicentre of gaming and esports.

British Esports take lead in collegiate competition

NSE was formed in 2017 by Benchmark and backed by British Universities & Colleges Sport (BUCS), the coordinating body for university sports in the UK.

Both have put their efforts towards growing the UK student gaming community and the British University Esports Championship (BUEC), the tournament series for university teams in the UK.

In the 2024/25 academic year, 17,800 players from over 2,200 teams across 117 universities competed to be crowned ‘Esports University of the Year’, while NSE’s Discord channel has an extended reach of 180,000 student gamers across the UK.

The British Esports Federation, meanwhile, was established in 2016 and runs the Student Champs competition for school and college students aged 12+.

The 2024/25 Student Champs involved over 1,300 teams and 5,200 students from more than half of the UK’s colleges.

British Esports also offers various courses and qualifications, including the Esports BTEC, coaching and Duty to Care courses, and the Esports Leadership Programme from its National Esports Performance Campus in Sunderland.

The British University Esports Championship will continue as normal, as will NSE’s wide range of community activities and professional development programmes.

All existing NSE staff will now work in conjunction with British Esports moving forward, and British Esports VP Tom Dore will help steer NSE for a period of time.

This new deal will aim to boost esports students in the UK, as interest in competitive gaming continues to grow.

The announcement comes shortly after the Esports Global Fund LP was set up, backed by the Alshaya family in Kuwait and targeting $50m in investments across the esports and video games industry.

The acquisition of NSE is one of two new investments the fund has made, with the other to be announced soon.

Esports Global is led by industry experts, including industry veteran Chester King, Founder and President of the British Esports Federation, and Dave Martin, who has industry experience specialising in investments, technology and esports.

Others at Esports Global include Susanne Chisthi, founder of Fintech Circle, Dr Melita Moore, a physician and consultant in sport and esports, and Mark ‘Garvey’ Candella, an investor and former competitive gamer who has worked for Twitch, AcadArena and Nodwin Gaming.

Statements from related parties

Dave Martin, CEO of Esports Global, said: “I’m so excited to announce this acquisition today, 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.”

Nick Keller, CEO of Benchmark, added: “This deal further enhances the student esports and gaming community and is testament to the strength of NSE built under Benchmark. NSE has positively impacted tens of thousands of students’ lives, nurturing lifelong friendships and life skills. Following this acquisition, NSE has an ideal new home for its next phase of growth continuing in its mission to elevate students’ university esports experience, helping them now and in their future careers.”

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.”

Will Roberts, CEO of BUCS, commented: “From a BUCS perspective, the continuity and confidence that comes with aligning NSE and British Esports is invaluable. The BEF brand brings real strength to this partnership, and most importantly, is good news for students, giving them greater opportunities in an environment with duty of care at its heart.”

“This partnership with NSE is a landmark moment for British Esports and for students across the UK,” added Chester King, President of the British Esports Federation. “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.”

The news comes as the British University Esports Championship Winter season and the 2025/26 British Esports Student Champs season get underway.

Darragh Harbinson, Senior Editor

Darragh Harbinson is an esports writer specialising in Counter-Strike. He has written for Esports News UK, Esports Insider, UKCSGO, Dexerto, and Rush B Media.

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