| Guild Esports PLC | |
| Former Name: | The Lords Esports |
| Type: | Public |
| Industry: | Esports |
| Hq Location: | 16 Northumberland Avenue London |
| Hq Location Country: | United Kingdom |
Guild Esports PLC (previously The Lords Esports) is a United Kingdom-based professional esports company founded in 2019. The company is co-owned by former professional football player David Beckham and launched globally in June 2020. Guild Esports was the first esports firm to be publicly traded in the United Kingdom. The organisation has competitive teams in Apex Legends, Call of Duty: Warzone, Fortnite, Rennsport (Sim Racing), Street Fighter 6 and Tekken 8, as well as a partnership with R8 Esports for .
The Guild Esports was founded in September 2019 under the name The Lords Esports.[1] Later that year, the company sold 11.7% of its shares to investment firm Blue Star Capital for . In June 2020, The Lords Esports raised an additional million (M) in private funding, with former professional football player David Beckham acquiring a "significant minority stake" in the company, and rebranded to Guild Esports.[2] The company made its shares available through its initial public offering (IPO) on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) in September 2020, making Guild Esports the first publicly traded esports organization on the LSE, and raised million (M) through the IPO.[3] In September 2021, it was announced that Guild had become main shirt sponsors of League of Ireland Premier Division club Finn Harps, meaning the brand would also feature in FIFA 22 on the club's shirts.[4]
In January 2022, Guild Esports signed a 10-year lease for a 9831square feet facility in London. The facility will act as the organization's headquarters and training facility and is expected to open in Q2.[5]
On 6 May 2024, the Esports World Cup Foundation, funded by the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund and organizers of the Esports World Cup tournament series, announced the 30 organizations (known in the ESWC as Clubs) who would make up the Club Support Program, with Guild being one of them. This program gives teams a one-time six-figure stipend if an organization is willing to enter new esports as well as additional funding each year if they drive viewership and fan engagement to the Esports World Cup.[6]
In November 2020, Guild Esports created their Fortnite division.[7] In March 2021, the team won the Fortnite Champion Series European Grand Finals.[8] The next month, the organisation's Rocket League team won the Rocket League Championship Series EU Spring Regional.[9]
Guild Esports would acquire Bad News Eagles, a Kosovar-majority unsigned Counter-Strike 2 roster who had made the Antwerp, Rio and Paris Majors, in November 2023, rebranding them as Guild Eagles. However, on 24 May 2024, Guild released the team.[10]
As the Esports World Cup Foundation Club Support Program gave Guild a one-time stipend if they wished to enter new esports, particularly those with a presence at the Esports World Cup itself, Guild Esports would sign rosters in Street Fighter 6 in February, Rennsport (giving them entry into the ESL R1 sim racing league) and Tekken 8 in May, and Apex Legends (marking their return after two years), Call of Duty: Warzone, and (in a partnership with R8 Esports focusing on their female roster) in June of 2024, whilst also expanding their Fortnite division in the process. Guild's Apex roster announcement on 13 June drew criticism for using AI-generated artworks of the game's characters.[11]