ESL has updated its Counter-Strike rulebook ahead of the second half of the 2026 season. The changelog was published on July 7, 2026, on the ESL Pro Tour website. It brings changes to sponsor rules, player conduct, ban policies, and more. One clause has drawn the most attention: a new rule on internal team communications during live matches.
The New Clause: 2.30 Internal Team Communications
The rulebook now includes clause 2.30, titled “Internal team communications during a live match.” It states that talk between teammates during a match still falls under the rulebook, even though this chatter is private.
The clause reads: “The private nature of team communications does not exempt participants from the standards of conduct set out herein.” It goes on to say that hate speech or discriminatory language of any kind is strictly banned in internal team communications. Players who break this rule can face penalties at the tournament organizer’s discretion. These range from warnings to fines to further disciplinary action.
ESL says the clause was added to clarify how its existing Code of Conduct applies to team voice chat, not to introduce a separate standard.
What Counts as Hate Speech Under ESL’s Code
Section 5.1 of the Code of Conduct spells out what counts as hate speech or discriminatory language. The list includes:
- Hate speech, offensive behavior, or verbal abuse tied to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, disability, physical appearance, body size, age, or religion
- Stalking or intimidation, online or in person
- Spamming, raiding, hijacking, or inciting disruption of streams and social media
- Posting or threatening to post someone’s private information, known as doxing
- Unwelcome sexual attention, including comments, jokes, and advances
- Encouraging or advocating for any of the above
These standards already apply to public conduct. Clause 2.30 extends them to what players say to each other during a match.
