The 2025/26 Ireland Esports Collegiate Series is officially underway — and this time, we’ve levelled up.
Now in its 8th year, the Series has just launched its strongest Winter Semester to date, with over 5% growth in student participation across the board.
New teams, new institutions, brand-new Premier Division structure and an epic new sponsor in Red Bull are driving the competition forward — and reshaping the future of collegiate esports in Ireland.
Universities and colleges from across the island are now battling it out in Valorant, Rocket League, Counter-Strike 2, League of Legends, Overwatch 2, Teamfight Tactics, EA FC and Formula 1.
With live Premier Division broadcasts every Monday to Thursday at 7:45PM on Twitch and YouTube, what’s not to like.
🗺️ 10 Universities. 4 Titles. 2 Divisions. 1 National Stage.
Participation has surpassed expectations, with several universities now fielding top-tier teams across all four Premier Division titles:
Valorant: 10 Teams
ATU, DCU, Maynooth University, QUB, SETU, TU Dublin, Trinity College, Ulster University, UCC, UCD
Rocket League: 8 Teams
ATU, Maynooth University, QUB, SETU, TU Dublin, Trinity College, Ulster University, UCD
Counter-Strike 2: 9 Teams
ATU, DCU, Maynooth University, QUB, SETU, TU Dublin, Trinity College, UCC, UCD
League of Legends: 7 Teams
ATU, DCU, Maynooth University, SETU, TU Dublin, Trinity College, UCD
Among the standout stories is ATU, who reactivated their esports society from scratch this year — and are now fielding Premier teams across all four titles.
So what are these ‘divisions’? 🤔
Here’s everything you need to know 👇
— #Ireland Esports Collegiate Series (#@EireCollegiate)
4:39 PM • Sep 9, 2025
🎬 Monday to Thursday, 8PM — Full Production Broadcasts
Every weeknight, feature matches from each title are broadcast live — produced with the same care and quality as mainstream sporting events.
Our casting and commentary team blends active students, recent graduates, and well-known Irish content creators — bringing colour, credibility and community energy to each stream.
Alongside this, the team is also piloting community casting within the Open Division, giving up-and-coming student broadcasters the chance to create and stream their own match coverage.
Overwatch 2 has unexpectedly become the breakout testing ground, with strong student-led commentary and creative overlays giving the format early momentum.
🗣️ From Open to Premier: A Structured Step Forward
This year marks a true transformation for Irish collegiate esports.
“We’ve structured the Collegiate Series to reflect both the social and performance sides of student competition. The Open Division continues to drive community building, society growth and grassroots participation. The Premier Division now creates a clear varsity-level layer — one that gives institutions a reason to back their teams, build hubs and see esports as a central part of student life.”
Each Premier Division title runs across the full academic year, with a LAN National Finals event to conclude the series and crown the champions.
🚨 Red Bull Joined the Collegiate Series
We’re thrilled to officially welcome Red Bull as a partner for the 2025/26 Collegiate Series. Their arrival marks a huge moment for our growing ecosystem — bringing fresh energy, big ambition, and a shared vision for high-performance, student-powered competition.
Red Bull are already getting active. First up? A Tetris-themed promotion designed to test your reflexes and rack up rewards. As the semester heats up, expect to see more from Red Bull — they’re excited about the series ahead.
For now, join the Collegiate Series leaderboard in the Red Bull Tetris Challenge here!
📺 Where to Watch
⏰ Live every Monday–Thursday from 7:45PM
Ireland’s official collegiate esports league is up and running — and the bar has been raised.
The next generation of Irish varsity teams is here. And this time, they’re not on the pitch — they’re on the server.
