A brand new, innovative campus dedicated to esports and exergaming: a first in Europe, right here in Belgium. It sounds like a crazy idea but it is actually becoming reality at an increasing pace! The high school of KTA Brugge, school group Impact and the college of Howest have joined forces to make this esports campus come to live in 2026. The BESF went to their preview at the building in Oostkamp where the new campus will be to see what amazing progress has been made in just a year's time.The esports campus will be a place for youth, students, professionals, organizations and underprivileged groups that want to participate and innovate in an increasingly digital world and economy. The campus will house a professional esports arena, exergaming (the combination of physical exercise and games) and simulation zones, technology and content creation labs and hybrid learning environments for digital and social skills.<h3>Esports education: more than just playing games</h3>We started our preview with a presentation by Kris Vandevoorde, technical advisor at KTA Brugge and also BESF comissioner for institutional relations, who immediately illustrated the importance of a campus like this.Kris Vandevoorde: "As educators, we see that soft skills and 21st century skills are getting more and more important. Lots of companies are willing to invest in teaching new employees the technical knowledge and hard skills that they need in the work environment. At the same time, the 21st century skills - like team work, communication, stress management and anlytical thinking - are becoming decisive in the recruitement process. These are all skills that we can effectively teach with esports and exergaming."<figure class="image image-style-block-align-left"><img src="https://cdn.besf.be/image010_053d477f66.jpg" alt="image010.jpg" srcset="https://cdn.besf.be/image010_053d477f66.jpg 245w, https://cdn.besf.be/image010_053d477f66.jpg 500w" sizes="100vw" width="500"><figcaption>Kris Vandevoorde (Esports Campus project lead) and Nicolay Van Reckem (BESF Stakeholder manager)</figcaption></figure>Next up, we move to what used to be an industrial kitchen, where the pupils of the esports elective course at KTA Brugge are suitably playing Overcooked. Liesbeth Last, teacher of the esports course tells us why her course on esports is more than just gaming.Liesbeth Last: "Our esports course isn't just for playing games. We focus on 4 important pillars:<ol><li>The esports business: pupils learn business skills and gain insights on the role and activities of different stakeholders.</li><li>Esports events: our pupils learn how to organize events with a hands-on approach.</li><li>The esports attitude: esporters are athletes so we teach our pupils about a healthy lifestyle and about balancing gaming with other parts of life, in collaboration with organizations like GameChangers.</li><li>Gameplay: we teach our pupils the skills they need to get results in game. This includes things like stress management, communication but also how to analyze your own games or how to analyze games together and coach each other."</li></ol>The esports campus will serve as the perfect learning environment for her pupils but also pupils and students from other schools and courses, with the facilities to organize events, create content, analyze games and so on.<figure class="image"><img src="https://cdn.besf.be/54793400178_6c94d7f3d1_b_a51bd75eef.jpg" alt="54793400178_6c94d7f3d1_b.jpg" srcset="https://cdn.besf.be/54793400178_6c94d7f3d1_b_a51bd75eef.jpg 234w, https://cdn.besf.be/54793400178_6c94d7f3d1_b_a51bd75eef.jpg 500w, https://cdn.besf.be/54793400178_6c94d7f3d1_b_a51bd75eef.jpg 750w, https://cdn.besf.be/54793400178_6c94d7f3d1_b_a51bd75eef.jpg 1000w" sizes="100vw" width="1000"><figcaption>Esports pupils of KTA Brugge playing Overcooked while their classmates are observing and taking notes for their analysis&nbsp;</figcaption></figure><h3>How esports and exergaming come together</h3>The last stop of the preview of the esports campus is with Charlotte Van Tuyckom, Innovation manager at Howest, and Nikolaas Van Doninck (Policy and implementation manager at Howest Sports innovation campus). They talk about the role of Howest in the esports campus, while demonstrating some of their exergaming equipment at their sports innovation campus mobile.Nikolaas Van Doninck: "Our sports innovation campus is a collaboration between Howest and Sport Vlaanderen that focuses on innovating in sports across different domains, including digital coaching, exergames and gamification. When Kris came to us about a year ago with the idea of making a campus that brings esports and exergaming together, I was immediately excited because esports is a much bigger world and by making the combination we can reach more people and get them moving. Now we're already standing here so that shows that things can move very fast."<figure class="image"><img src="https://cdn.besf.be/54793400128_b86fd8ef25_b_91736f415b.jpg" alt="54793400128_b86fd8ef25_b.jpg" srcset="https://cdn.besf.be/54793400128_b86fd8ef25_b_91736f415b.jpg 234w, https://cdn.besf.be/54793400128_b86fd8ef25_b_91736f415b.jpg 500w, https://cdn.besf.be/54793400128_b86fd8ef25_b_91736f415b.jpg 750w, https://cdn.besf.be/54793400128_b86fd8ef25_b_91736f415b.jpg 1000w" sizes="100vw" width="1000"><figcaption>Nikolaas Van Doninck (Sports innovation campus) demonstrating exergaming equipment to train balance</figcaption></figure>Charlotte Van Tuyckom: "One of our missions with this campus is to build bridges between sports, exergaming and esports. Through gamification we want to get people excercising but, vice versa, we also want to demonstrate the sports elements in esports. This collaboration between exergaming and esports and between Howest and KTA Brugge is very natural. For example, our students will be organizing a HADO (an augmented reality dodgeball game) exergaming tournament and the pupils of KTA Brugge esports will be helping out, coordinated by our students."Nikolaas Van Doninck: "Exergaming can also help esports to be recognized as sports. Today, we still see that policy makers are hard to convince that esports is sports. Exergaming for them is easier to accept because of the physical component. If we can show the many similarities between exergaming and esports like performance coaching, healthy lifestyle, consistent training to improve skills and results and so on, then we might be getting somewhere. Perhaps the BESF should look into really incorporating exergaming."<figure class="image"><img src="https://cdn.besf.be/54793382089_dd9a7a2f5a_b_caac5590fd.jpg" alt="54793382089_dd9a7a2f5a_b.jpg" srcset="https://cdn.besf.be/54793382089_dd9a7a2f5a_b_caac5590fd.jpg 234w, https://cdn.besf.be/54793382089_dd9a7a2f5a_b_caac5590fd.jpg 500w, https://cdn.besf.be/54793382089_dd9a7a2f5a_b_caac5590fd.jpg 750w, https://cdn.besf.be/54793382089_dd9a7a2f5a_b_caac5590fd.jpg 1000w" sizes="100vw" width="1000"><figcaption>The sports innovation campus mobile, equipped with cycling exergaming setups</figcaption></figure><h3>A European project, right here in Belgium</h3>The esports campus is a beautiful example of effective collaboration by stakeholders in the esports space, each bringing their own resources and expertise. By joining forces, they succeeded in securing a grant of €663.000 from the European Fund for Regional Development (EFRO, nl: Europees Fonds voor Regionale Ontwikkeling), kickstarting this unique within the whole of Europe, right here in Belgium. It is a testament that, in Belgium, we can achieve great things if we work together. The total project will total 1.6 million euros with contributions from private partners and investors.<h3>The Esports campus in the press</h3><ul><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/nl/2025/09/17/egame-campus-oostkamp-primeur-land/">VRT NWS - Primeur voor ons land: Eerste esports campus opent volgend jaar in Oostkamp</a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.hln.be/oostkamp/leerlingen-kunnen-vanaf-volgend-jaar-gamen-op-gloednieuwe-esports-campus-in-oostkamp-monia-16-is-een-van-hen-het-is-zoveel-meer-dan-een-spelletje-spelen~ab10e36e/">HLN - Leerlingen kunnen vanaf volgend jaar gamen op gloednieuwe esports campus in Oostkamp, Monia (16) is een van hen: "Het is zoveel meer dan alleen een spelletje spelen"</a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.nieuwsblad.be/binnenland/het-is-veel-meer-dan-videogames-spelen-hoe-oostkamp-het-kloppend-hart-van-de-e-sports-hoopt-te-worden/90966284.html">"Het is veel meer dan videogames spelen": hoe Oostkamp het kloppend hart van de e-sports hoopt te worden</a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/howest-hogeschool-west-vlaanderen_william-boeva-over-esports-campus-in-de-tafel-activity-7374746666974777344-Friz/?originalSubdomain=nl">William Boeva over de Esports Campus in de Tafel van Tinne (Play 4)</a></li></ul>

A brand new, innovative campus dedicated to esports and exergaming: a first in Europe, right here in Belgium. It sounds like a crazy idea but it is actually becoming reality at an increasing pace! The high school of KTA Brugge, school group Impact and the college of Howest have joined forces to make this esports campus come to live in 2026. The BESF went to their preview at the building in Oostkamp where the new campus will be to see what amazing progress has been made in just a year's time.



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Esports Campus Oostkamp: a European first in Belgium!

The Esports Events Incubator: a brand new support program to encourage and help our stakeholders with organizing more grassroots esports events. The BESF aims to grant a subsidy to between 5 to 10 new esports events in 2026! All information and the application form can be found in this article.

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Esports Events Incubator

At the Belgian Esports Federation, we want to highlight the people behind our work and give our community a clearer sense of who we are. As part of that effort, we’re starting Behind the BESF; a series of short interviews with members of our team and support network.To kick things off, we spoke with BESF Vice President Samy Bessi about his journey in esports, how the industry has evolved, and where he sees things heading for Belgium and beyond.&nbsp;• • •Samy, thanks for joining us. You’ve been involved in esports for many years now. How did your journey in the industry begin, and what initially drew you to the space?It all started back in the early 2000s when I was at university. My flatmate was from the United States, and my first real exposure to esports was watching him compete on the US servers. I immediately had this sense that esports was going to become something huge in Europe as well. That’s when I began investing my time and money into creating an esports club active across both the US and Europe. We focused on titles like Counter-Strike, Call of Duty, Smite, and FIFA. Looking back, that was really the beginning of my journey.Looking back over the last decade, how would you describe the evolution of esports in Europe and Belgium specifically?If we look at the last ten years, I’d say 2015 was when things really started to shift. At that time, I was running a team that had an international profile, and it was clear esports was about to take things to the next level. Globally, recognition had already come from Asia and the United States, where esports was being compared directly with traditional sports. In Europe, we were a bit late to that recognition, and the scene was not unified. But in just ten years, the perception has completely changed. Esports has gone from being seen as something for “geeks” to being acknowledged as a legitimate sport. For me, that’s a huge step forward. In Belgium, it’s more complex because of our regional structures, which can make progress slower, but with the federation we’re working towards recognition both from government and eventually from traditional sports federations. With the upcoming Esports Olympic Games, I think we’re moving in the right direction and the progress will only continue.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img alt="Samy Bessi Photo @ efootball championship.png" src="https://cdn.besf.be/Samy_Bessi_Photo_efootball_championship_e30a8a39ba.png" srcset="https://cdn.besf.be/Samy_Bessi_Photo_efootball_championship_e30a8a39ba.png 156w, https://cdn.besf.be/Samy_Bessi_Photo_efootball_championship_e30a8a39ba.png 500w" sizes="100vw" width="500"><figcaption>Team Belgium at the European eFootball Competition in 2022</figcaption></figure>&nbsp;What are some of the most significant challenges you’ve faced or observed during your time helping shape the structure and legitimacy of esports?The biggest challenge has always been explaining to people that esports is just one part of the wider gaming industry. It sounds simple, but many people confuse the two. They often associate esports with the negative stereotypes of gaming, rather than seeing the positives of competition, teamwork, and performance. Every time I meet someone new who isn’t familiar with esports, I find myself needing to explain the distinction between gaming as a whole and esports as organised, competitive play. Of course, you can’t have esports without games or players, but the competitive structure is what makes it unique.Another challenge has been overcoming resistance from the traditional sports world. Before COVID, I often heard that esports couldn’t be considered a sport because it wasn’t physical. But the landscape is changing. We now see more physical, movement-based digital games, and at the same time, the biggest esports titles like Counter-Strike, Dota, and League of Legends continue to drive the ecosystem forward with players who display incredible skill, discipline and athletic qualities. Slowly but surely, esports is being welcomed into the broader sporting world.You hold leadership roles at both national and global levels. How do you balance these responsibilities, and what perspective does that dual involvement give you?In both my national role with BESF and my international responsibilities, the goal is the same: to help level up the esports ecosystem. Having a global overview allows me to make sure Belgium is keeping pace with developments worldwide, because things in esports move very quickly. Belgium is a relatively small country, with multiple language communities, so our esports scene isn’t as big as some others. But as the home of the EU’s capital, we have a unique role to play. We can lead by example in areas like inclusivity, responsible behaviour, and building a positive legacy.On the international side, I work with organisations such as UNESCO, the UN, and the Olympic Committee to answer questions, share expertise, and help find common ground. That collaboration ensures esports is part of important global conversations, and I’m proud that Belgium has a voice in that space.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img alt="Samy Bessi Photo @ European Games Esports Championships Katowice 2023.png" src="https://cdn.besf.be/Samy_Bessi_Photo_European_Games_Esports_Championships_Katowice_2023_6ba14b96a2.png" srcset="https://cdn.besf.be/Samy_Bessi_Photo_European_Games_Esports_Championships_Katowice_2023_6ba14b96a2.png 245w, https://cdn.besf.be/Samy_Bessi_Photo_European_Games_Esports_Championships_Katowice_2023_6ba14b96a2.png 500w" sizes="100vw" width="500"><figcaption>Samy Bessi speaking at the European Games Esports Championships in Katowice, 2023</figcaption></figure>&nbsp;What excites you most about the future of esports, and what role do you see federations like the BESF playing in shaping that future?What excites me most is the audience. Esports reaches a young demographic, but that same audience is now growing older, moving into leadership positions in politics, companies, and wider society. That means awareness and recognition of esports will continue to grow at every level.For the future, it’s all about working together. If stakeholders of every sector and size, big and small, collaborate, we can put Belgium firmly on the European esports map. It’s not just about supporting the largest organisations; it’s equally about the grassroots communities. By strengthening the grassroots ecosystem, we can create a healthier, more sustainable environment for esports to thrive. Federations like the BESF are central to that mission, because they can bring all the stakeholders together and make sure progress benefits everyone.Thanks Samy, we really appreciate your time and the insights you’ve shared.My pleasure! And GLHF Belgium, let’s keep building and showing what we can achieve!&nbsp;• • •A big thank you to Samy for sharing his story and for his long-standing support of Belgian esports. His commitment has been key in building the recognition and resources we enjoy today, from a base camp facility in Brussels to exhibition matches at Pukkelpop and <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.besf.be/news/health/besf-support-two-groundbreaking-eu-projects">partnerships across Europe</a>. We’re glad to start this series with his perspective.Through these interviews, we want to shine a light on the people and ideas driving Belgian esports forward. Stay tuned for more conversations soon! &nbsp;

In the first edition of our Behind the BESF series, we sat down with BESF Vice President Samy Bessi to hear about his journey in esports, how the industry has evolved in Belgium and Europe, and what excites him about the future.

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Behind the BESF: An Interview with Vice President Samy Bessi

Promoting Health and Wellbeing in Esports: Our Role in Two Groundbreaking Erasmus+ ProjectsThe Belgian Esports Federation is proud to be&nbsp;involved in two major European initiatives aiming to improve the health and wellbeing of esports players: the GG Project and the E-Health Project. Both projects are Erasmus+ funded collaborations between academic institutions, esports organisations, and policy experts across Europe,&nbsp;each dedicated to addressing important aspects of life in esports.&nbsp;From Research to Resources: GG Project Survey Reaches Over 1,000&nbsp;PlayersThe <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://goodgamewebsite.wordpress.com/">GG Project</a>&nbsp;recently completed its first major milestone. Focused on promoting mental health in esports, the project closed its worldwide survey in early 2025, gathering insights from over 1,000 gamers from a variety of competitive levels. The results, now&nbsp;available in a summary report (<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/389859780_European_report_Mental_health_outcomes_in_esports_players">available here</a>), reveal key mental health challenges and opportunities within esports and will directly inform the development of free, evidence-based resources for the community.The GG&nbsp;Project&nbsp;resources, which will cover a range of topics from mental health literacy and psychological skills training to sleep support and coaching,&nbsp;will be launched later this year. The GG Project’s mission is not only to support individual players but also to empower the broader support network around them, including coaches and parents.&nbsp;This&nbsp;closely&nbsp;aligns with&nbsp;the BESF’s&nbsp;strategy to promote holistic player development and uphold integrity and wellbeing in esports environments.&nbsp;Kicking Off the E-Health Project: Physical Activity and Healthy Habits in EsportsJust as the GG Project’s survey phase wraps up, the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://esportshealthproject.wordpress.com/">E-Health Project</a> is kicking off with a mission to promote active and healthy lifestyles among esports players. The project’s consortium met last week at ISCTE University in Lisbon for a launch event, where partners shared ideas and aligned goals for the months ahead.This ambitious project is designed to understand the physical and lifestyle habits of esports athletes, and then translate that data into engaging educational&nbsp;multimedia&nbsp;tools. The aim is to help players integrate physical activity into their lives&nbsp;and adopt long-term health habits that support both performance and wellbeing.The BESF is thrilled to be part of this initiative, contributing especially in the areas of communication and dissemination. The E-Health Project also has policy ambitions, working toward the creation of a Code of Conduct for esports organisations that promotes health-focused best practices across Europe.<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img style="aspect-ratio:1600/900;" src="https://cdn.besf.be/E_Health_Project_Kick_Off_Meeting_Group_Photo_2f4d26ee1e.png" alt="E-Health Project Kick-Off Meeting Group Photo.png" srcset="https://cdn.besf.be/thumbnail_E_Health_Project_Kick_Off_Meeting_Group_Photo_2f4d26ee1e.png 245w,https://cdn.besf.be/small_E_Health_Project_Kick_Off_Meeting_Group_Photo_2f4d26ee1e.png 500w,https://cdn.besf.be/medium_E_Health_Project_Kick_Off_Meeting_Group_Photo_2f4d26ee1e.png 750w,https://cdn.besf.be/large_E_Health_Project_Kick_Off_Meeting_Group_Photo_2f4d26ee1e.png 1000w," sizes="100vw" width="1600" height="900"></figure>&nbsp;Building Expertise in Esports Health and PerformanceBESF’s growing role in these international projects is strengthened by the recent appointment of <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.besf.be/news/besf/matthew-watson-joins-as-vice-chair-health-and-wellbeing">Matthew Watson</a> as our Vice-Chair for Health &amp; Wellbeing and <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.besf.be/news/besf/nalin-chaturvedi-joins-besf-as-vice-chair-of-player-engagement-and-community-development-commission">Nalin Chaturvedi</a> as Vice-Chair of the Player Engagement and Community Development Commission. Matt brings a unique blend of experience as a coach in both traditional sports and elite-level esports (including roles in the LEC, LFL, and NLC), combined with a strong academic background in sport science, coaching, and performance psychology.&nbsp;Nalin has supported athlete engagement efforts at major global sporting events such as the Olympics and is also the Director of Publisher Relations at ESL FACEIT Group. The involvement of Matt and Nalin in both the GG Project and E-Health Project ensures that&nbsp;the&nbsp;BESF will remain&nbsp;closely&nbsp;connected to the latest evidence-based practices in health and performance and deliver impactful project outcomes.&nbsp;A Healthier Future for Esports in Belgium and BeyondThrough our active involvement in both the GG and E-Health projects, BESF is committed to helping players&nbsp;in the Belgian esports ecosystem to&nbsp;fulfil their gaming ambitions and compete&nbsp;in environments that&nbsp;support their health, wellbeing, and long-term success.&nbsp;We’re proud to contribute to shaping a healthier, more sustainable future for esports, both here in Belgium and across Europe. Stay tuned for upcoming announcements about new resources, events, and opportunities to get involved!

The Belgian Esports Federation is proud to be involved in two major European initiatives aiming to improve the health and wellbeing of esports players: the GG Project and the E-Health Project. Both projects are Erasmus+ funded collaborations between academic institutions, esports organisations, and policy experts across Europe, each dedicated to addressing important aspects of life in esports.

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BESF Support Two Groundbreaking EU Projects

We're excited to welcome Matthew Watson as the newest member of the Belgian Esports Federation! With his expertise in sport science, coaching, and esports performance, Matt joins us as Vice-Chair Health &amp; Wellbeing and will play a key role in our mission to elevate health and performance in esports.Matt brings a wealth of experience from both traditional sports and esports, having coached professional basketball and supported elite League of Legends teams in top leagues such as the LEC, LFL, and NLC. Alongside his coaching, Matt maintains a strong connection to science and education. A former lecturer in sport psychology and exercise, Matt is currently completing a PhD in the Department of Performance Psychology at the German Sport University in Cologne, where he is studying coaching practices in esports.Matt's passion for supporting performers in esports and advancing professional standards aligns perfectly with our vision. His expertise will be invaluable in helping the BESF create evidence-based, impactful resources for our members, partners, and future esports initiatives.Please join us in giving Matt a warm welcome! We’re excited for the positive impact he will make and look forward to sharing more updates as he embarks on this new journey with BESF.

We're excited to welcome Matthew Watson as the newest member of the Belgian Esports Federation! With his expertise in sport science, coaching, and esports performance, Matt joins us as Vice-Chair Health & Wellbeing and will play a key role in our mission to elevate health and performance in esports.

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Matthew Watson Joins BESF as Vice-Chair Health & Wellbeing

Belgian Esports Federation Continues PUBG Mobile Journey in 2025 – Open Call for National Team QualificationsBrussels, Belgium – Following the successful launch of its PUBG Mobile initiative in 2024, the Belgian Esports Federation (BESF) is proud to announce the continuation of its competitive journey in 2025. With a strong commitment to fostering talent and expanding the mobile esports scene in Belgium, BESF is now opening registrations for all candidates eager to compete for a spot on the new national PUBG Mobile team.The federation’s decision to continue its investment in PUBG Mobile reflects its dedication to providing opportunities for emerging players and ensuring Belgium remains at the forefront of the global esports landscape. As part of this initiative, BESF will host national qualification tournaments, allowing players from across the country to showcase their skills and secure a place in the Belgian National Team.How to Participate:<ul data-spread="false"><li>Open to all Belgian citizens or 5+ years residents passionate about PUBG Mobile.</li><li>Players must register through the official BESF PUBG Mobile Discord link : <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://discord.gg/AUN4xkzmSq">https://discord.gg/AUN4xkzmSq</a></li><li>The top players will have the chance to represent Belgium on international stages.</li></ul>This initiative is expected to attract a growing community of mobile gamers, uniting them under the national flag and fostering a competitive spirit that aligns with Belgium’s rich esports culture.For more details on registration and qualification, follow our social media channels for updates.&nbsp;Don’t miss your chance to be part of Belgium’s next elite PUBG Mobile squad!PUBG Mobile GM - Dridri

Join the Belgian Esports Federation's PUBG Mobile qualifications in 2025! Register now to compete for a spot on Belgium’s national team and showcase your skills on the global stage.

Esports Campus Oostkamp: a European first in Belgium!

Esports Campus Oostkamp: a European first in Belgium!

Esports Events Incubator

Esports Events Incubator

Esports Campus Oostkamp: a Eur...

Esports Events Incubator...

Behind the BESF: An Interview ...

BESF Support Two Groundbreakin...

Matthew Watson Joins BESF as V...

PUBG Mobile 2025...

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