Global Esports Federation chief executive Paul Foster, left, claimed esports is "evolving, developing, and becoming more professional" after its appearance at this year's European Games ©GEF

Global Esports Federation (GEF) chief executive Paul Foster has hailed the European Games Esports Championships as the latest in a series of "incredible milestones", and claimed it demonstrates it is "becoming more professional".

Esports featured as a side event to the European Games for the first time at Kraków-Małopolska 2023, and European Olympic Committees Coordination Commission chair Hasan Arat has confirmed it will be a part of the next edition in 2027 too.

Foster was left delighted at the results from June for esports, with the month also including the International Olympic Committee's Olympic Esports Week in Singapore.

"It has been an incredible June," he said.

"We had the Olympic Esports Week in Singapore, then the GEF was with all the world’s Ministers of Sport at UNESCO’s MINEPS VII conference in Baku.

"Then we came here, to have the [European Games Esports Championships] run in parallel with the third European Games.

"These are incredible milestones.

"These athletes are role models for their communities, and you can see our teams evolving, developing, and becoming more professional, organised, and confident."

The inaugural European Games Esports Championships was held in Katwoice as a side event to Kraków-Małopolska 2023 ©GEF
The inaugural European Games Esports Championships was held in Katwoice as a side event to Kraków-Małopolska 2023 ©GEF

The Netherlands won the first esports title at the Championships in Katowice, beating Britain 4-0 in the final of the open Rocket League tournament.

Dutch coach Paul Shepherd argued the event was a step forward for esports in pursuit of further ties with the Olympic Movement.

"This tournament shows a new direction in esports, working along national lines, and becoming more like the other sports at the European Games," he said.

"People are getting used to it.

"It is a great step.

"It’s great that the Global Esports Federation has created this.

"We’ve seen Olympic Committees from different countries get really interested, and Governments are seeing that esports can be handled in the same way that they handle traditional sports.

"On the political side, this is a really important win for us."

Italy's Giorgia Casciaroli won the women's eFootball 2023 final at the European Games Esports Championships in Katowice ©Twitter
Italy's Giorgia Casciaroli won the women's eFootball 2023 final at the European Games Esports Championships in Katowice ©Twitter

Italy's Giorgia Casciaroli won the women's eFootball 2023 final against Britain's Emma Rose 3-2, and Spain's Miguel Mestre Oltra took the men's equivalent title 3-1 against Turkey's Mucahit Sevimli.

Competitors at the Esports Championships took part in the European Games Closing Ceremony at the Henryk Reyman Stadium in Kraków.

Medals were not awarded as part of the European Games, but it marked another cautious strengthening of the Olympic Movement's ties with the esports industry.