In Luxembourg, two associations have set themselves up as esport federations. The Luxembourg Esports Federation (LESF), founded in 2020 and chaired by Joe Hoffmann, and the Fédération luxembourgeoise d’esport (FLES), founded in 2021 and headed by Jeremy Chiampan. With “around 5,000 esport players and around 80-90,000 people interested in esport in Luxembourg”--as estimated by the digital marketing agency Forward, co-founded by Joe Hoffmann and his brother Kevin--each has plenty to offer. But this duality poses a problem for the recognition of the discipline in a country that is already struggling to establish its legitimacy on the European esport scene.

I don't see why Luxembourg should be linked with the Benelux countries; for me, it would make more sense to be linked with France or Germany.

Joe Hoffmann, president, Luxembourg Esports Federation (LESF)

At European level, Luxembourg is rarely considered as such and tends instead to be seen as part of the Benelux. “Luxembourg is strongly linked to the Benelux by the games themselves. Publishers create divisions or championships, and often Luxembourg falls under the Benelux umbrella. It’s rarely seen as a separate entity because it’s a small country,” says Chiampan.

ForJoe Hoffmann, this is also linked to the marketing strategies of companies in the sector: “Budgets are planned for the Benelux and the head offices are often in the Netherlands. These companies prefer to invest in marketing in Dutch rather than in Luxembourgish, French or German. I don’t see why Luxembourg should be linked with the Benelux countries; to me it would make more sense to be linked with France or Germany.”

The two federations are in discussions with video game publishers and other competition organisers to ensure that Luxembourg has a place in their events. This could take the form of “a tournament with the best players from each Benelux country, champion against champion,” suggests Hoffmann.

There is also a quest for recognition within Luxembourg itself. Firstly, with businesses, to convince them to invest in and support esport. Because without money, there can be no professionalisation. “A player who reaches a certain level has to play every day, he needs a place to do so, support, etc. For the moment, the means are not there. For the time being, the resources are not in place in Luxembourg to be able to offer this,” explains Chiampan.

Hoffmann estimates that “to form a professional competitive team, you need to spend around a million euros a year.” Max ‘Marix’ Kugener is currently the only Luxembourg sportsman to play professionally. He currently plays for Entropiq, a Czech team, having previously played for Danish outfit OG and German outfit Sprout.

An election promise to be fulfilled

One sector in particular has clearly understood the value of supporting Luxembourg esports: “Telecommunications clearly has an interest, and the link with mobile games, telephony, the internet and esports is a natural one,” explains Chiampan. “These companies understand that today’s young people, who love esport, are their potential customers, investors and partners of the future.”

As evidence of this, Post has launched its Post Esports Masters, which organises several championships each year. Orange has created the Orange eLeague, a tournament based on the EA Sports FC game (formerly Fifa Football) in collaboration with the Luxembourg Football Federation. And Tango has developed the Tango High School Cup, a competition reserved for secondary school pupils.

“Mentalities are changing. I’m 36 years old and I’m part of the generation that played Gameboy when we were 8 or 9, so we’re pretty familiar with gaming. There’s a gradual change taking place within companies thanks to the arrival of people who have a more positive view of gaming and esports. With time, we’re able to have discussions more easily,” adds the FLES president.

But it is also--and above all--with regard to institutions and politicians that the federations have a card to play. During last October’s general election campaign, the DP was the only party to include esport in its manifesto. In the section devoted to sport, “Recognising and promoting e-sport disciplines” is listed as one of the party’s commitments. The programme explains: “The DP will put e-sports (electronic sports) on an equal footing with traditional sports and will promote related training and sports structures and encourage financial support for sportsmen and other clubs. The DP will also work to ensure that e-sport takes on an Olympic dimension.”

These fine intentions have not, however, resulted in esport being mentioned in the programme of the CSV-DP coalition that formed the new government. Chiampan wonders whether anything will really happen, knowing that the current minister for sport, , is not a member of the DP but of the CSV, a party that has not promised anything.

There could be a merger of the two federations or the creation of another entity to oversee both.

Jeremy Chiampan, president , Luxembourg Esport Federation (FLES)

The Luxembourg Olympic and Sports Committee (COSL) could also have an important role to play by agreeing that esport should be represented among the federations affiliated to it. Chiampan explains that he “had a meeting with the Olympic committee a year or two ago. They’re not closed, but I think they also need to position themselves in relation to the International Olympic Committee.”

In 2023, the latter organised the first Olympic Esport Week in Singapore, but “in my opinion, they don’t understand esport,” says Hoffmann. “They’re focusing on a niche market that represents maybe 10% of global esport: sports simulation. The people who play this type of game are much more attached to traditional sports than to video games.”

The event featured archery, cycling, tennis and sailing, all in virtual versions. Rocket League and Street Fighter, two iconic esport games, were relegated to the background as they were only played in exhibition matches.

No rush for COSL

The president of the LESF nevertheless acknowledges that a closer relationship with traditional sports could be a good strategy for gaining legitimacy. “For example, we’re trying to get more members from traditional sports. Having people who have held important positions in these areas gives us even more credibility and know-how within the federation.”

The COSL itself “supports partnerships between traditional sporting communities and esport communities. In the spirit of the Olympic motto ‘Faster, higher, stronger--together,’ these activities enable target groups to discover the benefits of traditional sports and esport,” says COSL secretary general Ralf Lentz.

There is no urgency at the moment to formalise a potential affiliation with an esport association

Ralf Lentz, secretary general, Luxembourg Olympic and Sports Committee (COSL)

But one major obstacle remains in the way of recognition for Luxembourg esport. “The general opinion is clearly that there should only be one federation,” says Chiampan. A single federation for greater coherence and relevance in the project to integrate the COSL. “The two federations have been in discussion since around the middle of last year, and we only recently had a meeting. What form will the single federation take? There could be a merger or the creation of another umbrella body, and that would be the one that would be taken into account.” According to the FLES president, this could happen in 2024: “I think it could happen this year, even if I can’t promise you that. The aim is to avoid wasting too much time.”

This new federation will then have to submit an application for affiliation to the COSL, which will analyse “whether it meets the criteria and conditions, and then the COSL board will give a provisional ruling on the application, pending the final decision, which will be taken by the general meeting,” explains Lentz. He also points out that “at the present time, we obviously cannot predict the outcome of such an analysis or of a vote at the general meeting.”

However, the general secretary seems to be in less of a hurry than Hoffmann and Chiampan to see this recognition formalised, since in his opinion, “there is no urgency at the moment to formalise a potential affiliation with an esport association, since numerous examples show that a rewarding collaboration between the sporting movement and esport is not dependent on the latter.”

This article was first published in French on . It has been translated and edited for Delano.