99Liga and ESL Meisterschaft merge into one League

Tournament organizers Freaks 4U Gaming and ESL Gaming have announced the merger of 99Liga and ESL Meisterschaft in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Beginning in 2022, the 99Liga and ESL Meisterschaft will merge to form the ESL Meisterschaft by 99Damage.

According to a press release, the unified league will offer two championships a year with over 1,000 teams and 8,000 players. ESL Meisterschaft by 99Damage will be directly linked to the ESL Pro Tour and will be fully integrated with ESEA, ESL's matchmaking service.

The announcement follows news that Freaks 4U Gaming has become the official licensee and operator of ESL competitions and DreamHack festivals in Germany and France. Founded in 2015, 99Liga is operated by 99Damage, the most popular platform in the German language community. ESL Meisterschaft was established in the year 2002 and is one of the oldest competitions in e-sports in the world.

The new league will include many levels with the top division and several amateur divisions. At the same time, both top divisions from the 99Liga and ESL Meisterschaft will be merged into one. The new League will also include the lower divisions from the 99Liga.