IESF outlines global esports governance model at Seoul Olympic Legacy Forum 2026

The International Esports Federation (IESF) used the Seoul Olympic Legacy Forum 2026 (SOLF 2026) to set out its vision for global esports governance. The forum took place on October 13, 2026 at Olympic Park in Seoul, supported by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Sports Promotion Foundation (KSPO).

During Session 2, AI and Data Shaping the Future of the Olympic Movement, IESF General Secretary Boban Totovski delivered a presentation titled The Future of Global Esports Governance and the Olympic Legacy. Totovski positioned “structured, accountable governance” as a requirement for esports and the Olympic Movement to pursue what he described as a shared future.

Totovski proposed a motorsport-style governance precedent, citing the FIA as a model for licensing, world title stewardship and event governance across disciplines. He outlined a three-part framework for esports: a licensing authority recognising one national federation per nation and licensing athletes, referees and officials; title ownership covering World Esports Championship and national-team titles via title-licensing agreements with publishers and commercial partnerships with promoters; and “one rulebook for every nation,” including unified competition and eligibility rules, anti-doping aligned to the World Anti-Doping Code, anti-match-fixing measures and a single esports calendar across continents.

He tied the approach to the Fundamental Principles of Olympism, highlighting autonomy, political neutrality and good governance; integrity, fair play and athlete protection; and human dignity, inclusion and non-discrimination. “Seoul showed the world in 1988 what sport can achieve when nations meet in good faith. We're back here today to reiterate that esports shares those values: excellence, respect and friendship. Our responsibility now is to build the governance that protects them, so that every athlete, in every nation, competes under one set of rules and one common purpose.” – Boban Totovski, General Secretary, International Esports Federation

The full session is available to watch via YouTube, with Totovski’s segment linked from the event recording.