Team Liquid hit by new global layoffs amid commercial difficulties

On Friday, August 28, 2026, esports-focused outlet The Esports Radar published an article revealing that, according to its sources, “Team Liquid has initiated a new round of global layoffs affecting staff across multiple departments.” The situation was confirmed to Sheep Esports by sources affected by the layoffs. TER’s sources cite several factors, including revised financial forecasts and revenue targets, amid broader macroeconomic difficulties.

In addition to these points, the outlet’s sources also appear to cite “shifting commercial investments across the gaming market.” Thus, still according to TER’s sources, the situation would be notably linked to the commercial difficulties Team Liquid has faced in recent months. The termination of its major partnership with Honda in May 2025, triggered by a controversial post from a player on its Rainbow Six Siege team, reportedly marked a turning point and contributed to a period of growing uncertainty within the organization. According to the same sources, the consequences of this episode remain a sensitive topic at Team Liquid, including among former employees.

The news also comes less than a week after the end of the 2026 Esports World Cup, where Team Liquid competed across ten disciplines and finished fifth in the overall Club Championship standings, earning $2 million. While this amount may seem significant, it is actually half of what it was last year.

Third in 2025, the major Dutch-American organization even came close to disaster in Paris at this year’s edition, with only 200 points accumulated during the first five weeks. It took the arrival of chess star Magnus Carlsen, along with two runner-up finishes in the closing events on Trackmania and Crossfire, to allow Team Liquid to break into the top 10.

The result can also be explained by a slightly smaller presence than in 2025, when TL competed across 13 disciplines, but also because the club had managed the feat of winning three titles outright. At the 2026 EWC edition, Team Liquid players also won nearly an additional $1 million in prize money. Of that amount, however, it seems likely that the club only receives a small share.

Team Liquid had already carried out a round of layoffs in early 2026, following an initial restructuring in September 2025 that affected around “6% of [its] 300+ global workforce”. As of March 21, 2026, at least five former employees had announced their departures on social media, including profiles linked to creative, marketing, operations, and project management.

These departures come as Team Liquid continues to pursue its development strategy beyond traditional esports, particularly in Southeast Asia following its acquisition of STUN.GG in 2024. The organization currently has numerous job openings in Jakarta and Manila on its website as well.

Contacted by Sheep Esports, Team Liquid declined to comment on the wave of layoffs. We will provide further updates as the situation evolves.