Media: ESL Faceit Group set to undergo another round of layoffs including FACEIT AC, integrity teams

Update July 30th: In contact with Dust2.us, EFG provided a separate statement which says that the ESL division hasn't been affected. This is their statement on the matter:

"Although team adjustments have taken place within the digital platform and technology departments, the ESL division itself has not been affected. This means the total number of redundancies is significantly lower than what has been previously reported."

EFG's statement differs from what Richard Lewis reported. You can read the original article below.

ESL FACEIT Group (EFG) is set to announce a new round of layoffs, according to a report by Richard Lewis.

Sources with knowledge of the situation told Richard Lewis that the layoffs have already begun across ESL, the tournament operator, and FACEIT, the third-party matchmaking platform. One source revealed that approximately 50 FACEIT employees could be impacted, and that the integrity team — the one responsible for the anti-cheat — is taking a significant hit.

Other teams at FACEIT will also be affected, as the source put it:

For FACEIT it looks like it will have a significant impact. The growth team has been cut and it looks like the integrity team is also taking a significant hit. Marketing too.

On ESL's side of things, Richard Lewis reported that over 200 employees could be impacted, and noted that these numbers could be "subject to revision." Since his report went live on June 28th, EFG said in a statement to Dust2.us that the ESL division has not been affected.

This will be the third time EFG has gone through a round of layoffs since ESL and FACEIT were acquired and merged by the Savvy Games Group, which is backed by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF), in 2022.

EFG's official announcement is more likely to take place after the conclusion of Esports World Cup 2025. One source told Richard Lewis that EFG doesn't want "any negative news published" while EWC is still running.

EFG confirms layoffs are coming

After Richard Lewis published his report on Substack yesterday, July 28th, EFG confirmed to him that layoffs will happen, though it didn't mention the numbers.

EFG's statement can be read below:

EFG has experienced a period of significant growth driven by multiple strategic acquisitions. Whilst this has opened up many new opportunities to grow esports globally, it has also brought with it complexity. To ensure EFG is fully focused on the most meaningful growth opportunities ahead, we have conducted a careful review of our strategic priorities.

This process allows us to realign resources, ensuring we have the right teams and capabilities in place to lead, innovate, and deliver long-term success. As a result of this, some of our employees will unfortunately be impacted. We thank them for their hard work and dedication to the company, and wish them well for the future.