Esports in Ukraine has long ceased to be just a hobby for enthusiasts — it is turning into a serious industry. This was stated by Maksym Krippa, who heads the Ukrainian Esports Federation (UESF) and owns the multi-gaming organization NAVI. He believes that interest in this area is growing steadily, as evidenced not only by viewing figures but also by purely financial indicators: in 2022, the Ukrainian esports market was estimated to be worth tens of millions of dollars.
In a comment for BrandVoice, a special project by Forbes Ukraine, Krippa shared his vision of the industry’s development dynamics.
According to him, it all started in the late 90s: small clubs, local tournaments, and the first steps of enthusiasts who played “for fun.” Over time, these attempts formed the basis for a full-fledged sports direction. Over two decades, the industry has gone from LAN tournaments to a professional scene with official status. The recognition of esports as a sport in 2020 was, according to Krippa, not just a formality, but a clear signal: now esports is part of Ukraine’s sporting map.
The transformation of esports
The UESF president noted that the current level of eSports development in Ukraine allows it to compete confidently with many traditional sports. However, he openly admitted that football remains unrivalled in terms of both popularity and audience reach.
“Fifteen or twenty years ago, few people had heard of esports — it was something niche, invisible to the general public. But times have changed. Today, esports events are watched by millions, and Ukrainian players are successfully competing at the highest international level,” Krippa shared.
He added that it is now difficult to talk about esports as something invisible.
“When we’re talking about an industry that was generating tens of millions of dollars in market value before 2022, it’s hard to call it underground,” the businessman summed up.
How the esports industry developed in Ukraine
Maksym Krippa outlined the key events that became milestones on the path to establishing Ukrainian esports as a significant social and economic phenomenon.
- In 2009, the A-Gaming team with Ukrainian players took third place at the prestigious World Cyber Games.
This was the first big international hit.
- In 2011, NAVI won the first The International with Dota 2.
This was a historic breakthrough for the entire Ukrainian stage.
- In 2017, Kiev hosted a large-scale tournament, The Kiev Major 3, organized jointly with PGL.
- And 2020 brought official recognition of esports as a sport.
- In 2021, the first Ukrainian Cup was held, and the UESF received the status of a national federation.
In February 2025, the Ukrainian Esports Federation got a new president — investor and NAVI owner Maksym Krippa. From the very beginning, he outlined an ambitious vision: the federation should not only be a regulatory body, but also a driver of change in the industry.
“Our goal is not to reduce the activities of the UESF to bureaucracy or technical standards. We want to be proactive: promote esports among young people, support school and student projects, and open the doors to the industry for those who are not yet familiar with it,” explained Krippa.
